In the Shadows alt
by Synystersdream1
Summary: Amy Prince grew up in the muggle orphanage once inhabited by Tom Riddle. One day she recieves a visit from the headmaster of Hogwarts and her world is turned upside down. Who is she really and why is she so drawn to Harry Potter? M for later chapters.
1. Chapter 1

Hi everyone!

This is another revised version of Life in the shadows; Amy Potter.

Hopefully this version will be better. I'll be changing a lot but the essence will stay the same.

Hope you like it :) Aoife.

 **Disclaimer** ; original story, contents, chapters and characters belong to the great JK. I own nothing etc.

 **Chapter 1**

Amy glared out the window as she washed the lunch plates. Everyone else was outside enjoying the sunshine in the little patch of garden behind Wool's orphanage while she was forced to stay back and clean up after the food fight that she had been blamed for starting. Already she had scrubbed the floor, walls and table in the large dining room and her back ached as she leaned over the low sink. She muttered under her breath at the unfairness of it all, catching the attention of Mrs Finnegan, the cook, who was passing through to the pantry to begin sorting out whatever foul thing she was going to serve up for dinner that evening.

"What are you grumbling about now Evans? I'd swear you like doing all these extra chores, sure why else would you act up all the time."

Amy chose to ignore the clear baiting. Mrs Finnegan loved nothing more than to rile her up on a normal day when she was being punished for something she didn't do but on a special occasion like today, what with there being food involved, food that the old bat had prepared herself, she knew nothing good could come of her opening her mouth.

"How do you manage it? Every time something breaks or there's a fight you're right there in the middle of it all. Doesn't it wear you out to be so badly behaved all the time?"

Amy gritted her teeth and tried to focus on scrubbing a particularly stubborn chunk of mystery meat off the plate she was washing. Her blood felt hot in her veins and her hands, submerged in the warm soapy water, began to shake. The heat spread to her fingers and suddenly the water began to bubble fiercely. Shocked, she whipped her hands from the sink and took a step back just before the water evaporated entirely. Hearing a gasp from behind her, she turned to see that the cooks' eyes were wide as she stared at Amy's hand, still grasping the plate she had been scrubbing a moment before. Confused, she took a closer look.

At first she couldn't see what was making the cooks eyes wide as saucers, the aged and cracked disc of flower patterned porcelain was still wet and so was sending drips of water onto the black and white chequered tiles below. Realisation suddenly hit her. The plate was no longer wet and the little puddles on the floor seemed to have the same little pink flowers on their surface. The plate was melting.

She dropped it and what was left of it hit the floor with a smash, scattering small pieces all over the tiles. She looked at her hand to find that it was quickly fading from bright red to its normal pale hue from her wrist down to her fingers. Only then did she dare walk back to the sink and look at the mess within.

"Well you've certainly done it now!" shrieked Mrs Finnegan. "This takes the biscuit! You won't be seeing the light of day for the rest of the summer once Mrs Crowley hears about this."

Amy didn't argue. The old bat was right. There was no way she could explain this, not even to herself. She didn't move a muscle from the time the cook rushed out to rat her out until the dramatic and furious entry of the old matron, Mrs Crowley, who had been at the end of her rope with Amy even before the food fight.

"Look Martha, didn't I tell you there was always something wrong with the little brat!" exclaimed Mrs Finnegan, when she barrelled into the room a moment after the matron, she was trying desperately and failing to hold back the gleeful expression on her round face.

There was nothing she loved more than witnessing Amy Evans getting a dressing down and she figured she had hit the money load this time. It had been this way ever since Amy had accidentally set an adder on her while she was tending her herb garden five years previously. Well accident was probably not the word to describe the incident, in truth Amy had told the snake to get the old bat because she had forced the children to eat extra helpings of sprouts for four days after Christmas that year because she had ordered too much and refused to throw them out.

Amy opened her mouth hoping for an excuse to come to her but it didn't matter. Mrs Crowley held up a hand and turned away from her to address Mrs Finnegan.

"Agnes. Thank you for bringing this to my attention." A wide grin spread across the cooks face. "But don't let me hear you saying things like that about our charges again, I won't have it."

She turned back to Amy, missing the way that the grin fell to be replaced by a look of incredulous disappointment. Amy caught it though and if she wasn't so shocked by what had happened she would have been delighted. Mrs Crowley told her to go and wait for her in her office. She couldn't read the expression on the old woman's face but for some reason it gave her a knot in her stomach. Whatever punishment she was about to receive it was probably going to be bad.

To her vast surprise and suspicion, Amy was just told to go to bed without dinner. She didn't even have to clean up the mess she had left in the kitchen. That expression the matron had exhibited in the kitchen was still there and it made Amy so uneasy she didn't question it, she just followed the order to go up to bed. Mrs Crowley had never looked so old, even though she was well in her seventies, she usually seemed so ageless to her.

Amy entered her room and sat on the creaky little single bed. This was by no means the first time something strange had happened to her, but it was in the top five of the most odd, along with the adder following her orders. She did notice a trend, in that whenever something like that happened, she was feeling some strong emotion, usually anger like today or terror like when she had tripped crossing the road on a field trip with her school and a lorry had just missed her.

It had only missed her because when she had closed her eyes waiting for the impact and her certain death beneath those massive wheels she somehow managed to make it to the other side of the road and up into a tree, all in the blink of an eye. The teacher in charge of the field trip handed in her resignation that evening.

People had chalked up the incident on the field trip as the effects of adrenaline and the snake situation as the active imagination of a young child, but they didn't know about the books that flew off shelves when she was looking for them or the recurring dreams she had of flashing green lights and twinkling blue eyes and how could today's events possibly be explained? She hadn't thrown her mashed potatoes at Jeremy's head at lunch, thus starting the food fight.

He had been calling her names as per usual. Her red hair drew a lot of attention from bullies like him and he pounced on every opportunity to tease her about it. He wasn't very original about it either. It was always the same; Ginger nut, ginger minger, and various other lame name calling, it was more annoying than anything else, especially seeing as her hair colour was more of a dark red than coppery. But he also stood in the way of her having any friends of her own.

They went to the same school down the road from the orphanage and so she couldn't even escape him and his goons there. He kept all their classmates up to date with the weird things that she supposedly caused and so she was the freak that nobody wanted to have anything to do with. Children her own age either bullied her or ignored her and sniggered about her behind her back and those younger than her were afraid of what the freak might do to them if they went to close.

She was as surprised as everyone else when the remainders of her lunch had hit him in the side of the face with a splat but as usual she couldn't explain what had happened and so received all of the blame, even though after that everybody had joined in. then there was the melting plate and evaporating water. She held her hands up and stared at them.

Had she really caused it? How had she not been injured? She had heard somewhere once that steam burns were just as bad if not worse in some cases as others. And the way the matron had reacted really freaked her out as well. Maybe Mrs Finnegan was right. Maybe there was something wrong with her.

She sat like that for hours only half listening to the stage whispers of her fellow inmates as they passed her door on the way to their own shared rooms, each of them surely glad that they didn't have to bunk with the friendless freak. She was secretly glad too that she didn't have a room mate. The younger children shared larger bedrooms between three or four and that had been awful for her back in the day. She liked her privacy and didn't miss the pranks that were played on her every other night.

With a room to herself she could read her books and do homework in peace. Her love of reading had stemmed from and been well honed by her lonely existence, so too had her interest in her school subjects. If most of the teachers at her primary school hadn't been so fed up of her apparent trouble making and so easily swayed by gossip they might have valued her more for her hard work and attention to detail in her homework. She always got good grades and did well in all exams but sadly her hard work was overshadowed by her inexplicit oddness. There was one teacher, however, who paid little attention to rumours and always had time for her.

Mr Umbridge, her history teacher, had always had a soft spot for Amy. He was responsible for the fact that she had not already been expelled at least twice. He always stuck up for her when she was caught in the middle of a fight or was being accused of something she hadn't done or couldn't explain. He praised her for her hard work and watched out for her on the playground. Needless to say, history was her favourite subject.

School was out for the summer now though and so she was without her old ally. The orphanages summer field trip was coming up soon too and she hoped the events of this afternoon wouldn't cause her to be excluded from it. Every year the children were taken out for the day, to one of the cities child friendly places. As the excursion usually took place around or on her birthday, she had taken to pretending it was all for her to compensate for the card from the staff and the extra dessert that everyone else received.

This year they were going to the zoo and she had been looking forward to it. She had always had a fondness for animals, especially the exotic kind. The closest the orphanage had to that was the elderly cat kept to keep away mice, and the mice, who always evaded the grumpy old moggy.

Hours later, the sun had gone down and she lay down on top of the scratchy blankets, not bothering to change into her pyjamas. She was hungry and so tried to distract herself from her stomach rumblings by daydreaming about the upcoming field trip, this led to memories of previous birthdays and what it would be like to have had a family to spend them with. The matron always liked to tell them that they were all one big happy family, but nobody believed that. She spouted lines like that especially after a visiting set of potential parents left without asking for another appointment. Amy had long ago given up the hope of being adopted.

There were a few times when she had thought the couples who came to visit might choose her but it never happened and now at her age chances were very slim. She knew she would end up attending the secondary school that was right beside the primary school she now attended and when she turned eighteen she would be free to make her own decisions. One thing she was very sure of was that once she finally left the orphanage she would never set eyes on the big square horror show again.

These thoughts led her, as they always did, to wondering about her own family. Questions she had asked again and again flooded her mind until they were all she could think about. What had happened to her parents? She knew that they had died but nobody was able to tell her how. Why had she been left on the steps of the orphanage when she was a year old? Had there really been no one else who could have cared for her? She had no answers, but she thought that the matron might.

When she found Amy out on the steps that fateful morning there had been a letter in the blanket she had been wrapped up in. Amy knew this because she had heard the cook and Tabitha, the chambermaid discussing how odd the weather had been the week she had been found. Mrs Finnegan was convinced it was a sign there was something not quite right about her.

"Don't you remember? It rained shooting stars for heavens sake Tabitha! it was on the news! Then there was this mystery child out on the steps with a letter from someone with a ridiculous name spouting nonsense and giving no information apart from the child's name, not even a date of birth."

Needless to say she had been intrigued, so when next the opportunity presented itself (she didn't have to wait too long) she investigated. She was waiting for the matron to come back from a meeting with the school principal about her behaviour. Amy had been instructed to sit quietly in the office and await her doom. Instead she had rooted through the filing cabinet behind the large, highly polished desk and took out a rather thick folder with her name on it.

Inside there had been school reports, direct complaints from the school, staff at the orphanage and her fellow inmates, medical notes from her visits to the doctors and one from the time she had had to go to the emergency room after falling from a tree and breaking her arm and one small envelope addressed to the matron in green spindly writing. The envelope she had been found with.

Try as she might she couldn't open it. She was just reaching for a pair of scissors on the matron's desk when she had heard the front door slam and so hurriedly put the envelope and folder back in the file drawer before sitting back in the all too familiar seat.

Amy fell into a fitful sleep not long before dawn. The next few days were quiet. Nothing strange happened and as word had spread of the melted plate incident thanks to Mrs Finnegan, she was left alone, though she was followed by loud whispers wherever she went. She took to spending even more time reading in her room or at the library.

The matron approved of her reading habit, one of the very few things she did approve of about her and so a couple of years ago, when she had gone to the old lady to ask for some more books as she had read the orphanages pitifully small collection kept in the play room, she had took her down to the library personally and got her her very own library card. She was allowed to go there on her own twice a week and it was a privilege she took advantage of with gusto. The matron also went easier on her if she saw her come back late as long as she had an armful of books and a sorry enough look on her face.

On the morning of her birthday Amy woke with a start to find that her curtains had been whipped back by a busy Tabitha who was now simultaneously grabbing Amys wash pile while managing to rip the sheets and bed covers off her bed for washing while she was still wrapped up in them.

"Alright I'm up. I can do it, what's the hurry?" Amy asked and stood before taking the pillowcases off and handing them over.

"Yer all off to the zoo today remember? I want to get as much done as quick as I can this morning so I can get outta here before ye get back."

Amy's mood brightened. She tidied up quickly to hasten Tabitha's departure before getting dressed and heading down to breakfast. After the last of the bowls were handed in to the kitchen they were off, a rented banger of a bus already waiting for them outside.

A couple of hour's later Amy's good mood was gone. She had enjoyed walking around the large zoo, checking out all the exotic animals. They had been split into small groups and she had soon fallen behind on purpose so it was her leaving the others out and not them her. She took her time wandering around aimlessly and enjoying reading the descriptions of the animals on plaques outside their habitats. Then she spotted an ice cream stall surrounded by benches and small picnic tables across from the reptile house. She had bought a cone and was sitting out in the sunshine, thinking that she might take a trip in to see the snakes and lizards when she was finished.

That's when the screaming began.

She had already had a sneaking suspicion that she was insane. This was confirmed by the fact that when the large snake slithered from the entrance to the reptile house amid the noise of screaming adults and the weeping of children she heard it talk, well it was more of a shout really;

"I'm free! I'm free!" it hissed as it slithered by.

After a few seconds the snake was followed out by a stampede of people who ran in every direction. Keepers with nets and walkie-talkies emerged from other points of the zoo but they were too late, the snake was nowhere to be found. A minute or two later six more people emerged from the reptile house much slower than the initial crowd. The first was a rather large, furious looking man with an almost shockingly loud moustache. He was dragging a young boy along behind him by the ear. The boy looked to be about her age with a mop of jet black hair and round glasses that looked in danger of falling off with the force at which he was being dragged along.

He was quite skinny and his clothes hung off him loosely and he seemed resigned to his fate of being dragged through a busy zoo. In direct contrast to him waddled the roundest child she had ever seen. He was shaking and wrapped in a towel, his blonde hair was plastered to his head and dripping wet. The woman clutching his shoulders and weeping loudly and dramatically was quite bony and horse faced. There was another boy with them who seemed about to explode with excitement. He was skipping to keep up with the angry man in front of the group and when she heard what he was saying she sat up straighter and strained to hear more.

"- I'm telling you, Mr. Dursley, he was talking to it. I swear!"

The big man said nothing but his face was reddening more and more with anger at every syllable.

They were led off by a zoo official towards the staff lounge with promises of tea. Amy wished she could follow them. She felt oddly drawn to them. But the cold wetness of the ice-cream melting and dripping onto her hand woke her up to the fact that she had better go and rejoin her group before she was missed.

After dinner that evening she went up to her room and thought about what had happened in the zoo. Was it true that the black haired boy had been talking to the snake before it had gotten away? She knew better than to tell anybody what she had witnessed or she would be committed for sure. The men in white coats would come and lock her up and throw away the key faster than that snake had escaped.

She looked around her room for something to take her mind off the zoo trip, taking in the peeling paint on the walls and the chipped and scratched old wooden furniture. She walked over to the rickety wardrobe and opened the door to reveal the tarnished full length mirror attached to the other side.

Sunlight streamed in through the window making her hair gleam like fire above her pale skin and emerald green eyes. Something worried at the back of her mind as she stared at her own reflection, like trying to remember a dream as it slipped away, but she couldn't identify it and so let it go, grabbing some pyjamas off one of the shelves and closing the door before getting ready for bed and slipping into a nightmare filled with hissing and a flash of bright green light that faded and compacted before splitting into the image of a pair of almond shaped green eyes that she somehow knew were not her own.


	2. Chapter 2

**Disclaimer** ; original story, contents, chapters and characters belong to the great JK. I own nothing etc.

 **Chapter 2**

Tabitha shook Amy awake early on the morning of the 31st of July. The chambermaid looked flustered as she rushed across the room, opening the wardrobe and taking out Amy's best clothes; a long sleeved cream coloured t-shirt and a pair of jeans that were a little less worn than the rest.

Curious, Amy rose from the bed and accepted the clothes, along with a towel.

"What's going on?" she asked, as Tabitha opened the door and herded her out into the hallway and towards the bathroom a few doors down.

"You have a visitor." The chambermaid replied, sounding as surprised as Amy felt at hearing it.

"What sort of visitor?" no one ever came to the orphanage to see her apart from the occasional inspections carried out by social workers, checking up on the children's welfare and school progress and assessing the staff.

"I didn't catch a look, the matron came out of the office and told me to get you up and make sure you were presentable, so get in there and hurry up." Tabitha closed the bathroom door on her and she washed and dressed in record time, her curiosity piqued.

It wasn't until she was halfway down the stairs on her way down to the matron's office that she suddenly became very nervous. What if this mysterious visitor was here because of the melting plate incident? What if that had been the last straw for the matron and she had called in the men in white coats to drag her off. Would she do that? She recalled the look on the matrons face that day and the lack of severe punishment and wasn't so sure that she wouldn't have. There could be someone waiting behind that door with sedatives and a straight jacket for all she knew.

Panicking, she decided to run for it. She would have to be very sneaky to reach the front door unnoticed, as the matrons office was located in the hallway that led to freedom. Listening intently she heard only the humming of the cook as she prepared breakfast and little creaks and squeaks as some of the other orphans got out of bed.

She crept down the rest of the steps and tiptoes down the hall. She made it two steps past the office when the door swung open and the matrons voice called out to her.

"There you are Amy. Come on in here please. There's somebody here to see you."

She took one last longing look at the front door before turning and following the old woman into the office, her window of opportunity gone. If she had run then, in full view of the matron, she would have been caught in minutes. Once inside the room her mysterious visitor stood to greet her.

"Ah, this must be Miss Prince. Thank you for allowing me to speak with you this morning." The old man who stood before her certainly did not look like an orderly come to drag her away; he was tall and thin, with long white hair and a matching beard. He wore a brown suit that looked a bit dated, but that's not where her eyes lingered; instead she was transfixed by his twinkling blue eyes that shone out from behind half moon spectacles. She got the feeling, from his statement and by the way his eyes seemed to see right through her, that he knew she had been attempting to leave. This unsettled her. She moved further into the room and took the proffered seat across from the matron and beside the visitor, who sat back down after she was in her seat.

"This is professor Dumbledore, Amy. He has come here today to talk to you about his boarding school." Amy was intrigued. She had no idea there would be more options for her than the secondary school down the road, then her suspicion piqued.

"What sort of school?" She wasn't about to let herself be tricked into ending up in some special facility. She had heard of a boy who had lived in the orphanage many years before who had been shipped off to some unknown school for troubled children back when the matron was only a young maid. She used the story as a warning for the children to behave; _You don't want to end up like Tom Riddle do you?_

"Quite a selective one." He said, not giving much away. "Firstly allow me to say that your name has been on our lists since the day of your birth and that the fees have already been paid in full."

"Who paid them?" she asked, still suspicious.

"Why, your parents of course. They attended Hogwarts themselves. I remember them fondly."

This gave her a shock. She felt her eyes widen in wonder. This man sitting beside her had known her parents! He could probably answer a lot of her questions about them. She sat up straighter in her chair, preparing to bombard him with questions when he spoke first.

"Mrs Crowley, I wonder if Miss Prince and I might talk alone for a while. I have much to tell her and if I'm not mistaken, she has many questions to ask of me." There was a moment of hesitation from the matron, but then she nodded and left, patting Amy on the shoulder as she passed, a comforting gesture Amy hadn't received in quite some time.

"I'll have some tea sent in" she said before closing the door behind her.

Dumbledore gestured for Amy to take the matrons vacated seat and she did so, barely able to contain her impatience for information regarding her parents. She wasn't about to get any answers on that score yet as the old man began to speak.

"Now," He said. "I have brought your acceptance letter. It includes lists of books and equipment you will need to purchase before the start of term and I have included directions to the shopping street where you will find everything you will need. I have also included a key which you will require in order to access to your bank vault, which is conveniently located in the same area."

"I have a bank vault?" she asked, a little excited at the thought. The orphans received pocket money weekly, but she had never had a bank account before and the word "vault" sounded to her as though there might be quite a lot of money involved.

"Yes." He handed her an envelope and continued; "The instructions and lists are included. Under normal circumstances you would be required to write back to the school accepting your place, as their letter would arrive in the mail, but on occasions such as this, where the student has no prior knowledge of our world we like to deliver it and receive the answer in person."

He was quiet for a moment and it took her a while to catch on that he was waiting for her to say whether or not she was accepting her place at the school. She still had a niggling doubt at the back of her mind and so decided to put the matter of her sanity to rest for once and for all.

"This school… It's not for crazy people is it? I mean, you're not here to take me away to some government facility to run tests on me are you?"

She thought for a moment that he might be offended, but then he laughed. She relaxed a little as he did so. Maybe this was legit after all. It was at that moment that Mrs Finnegan brought in a tray holding a teapot, two cups with saucers, a small jug of milk and a bowl of sugar cubes. It was the fancy china, as she clearly hoped that this man had come to take her nemesis away forever.

She looked Dumbledore over, who was still chuckling a little and the face she made clearly showed that she didn't think much of what she saw. She lingered, probably hoping to eavesdrop on a little of the conversation until he thanked her and informed her that that would be all and she looked sour as she left.

"I usually explain a little more about Hogwarts before I'm asked that sort of question." He said after the old bat had vacated the immediate area. This information set fire to her short lived calm and she felt like bolting for the door.

"No, Miss Prince." He said. "Before you jump out the window let me explain." He smiled at her, still amused. "Hogwarts is not a government facility. It is not a place for crazy people as you call them. It is a school of magic, for young people like your self."

Alarm bells rang in her head. Perhaps it was he, and not her, who should be locked away in a padded cell.

"People like me?" she asked, trying to keep him talking long enough for her to come up with an escape route.

"Are you not different from the other children here Amy? Do strange and unexplainable things happen around you?" This caught her attention.

"At Hogwarts School of witchcraft and wizardry you will have the opportunity not only to control your powers, but also to learn charms and potions. You will be accepted into a community most people don't even know exists."

"Amy Prince. You are a witch."

It was her turn to laugh. She had never heard anything quite so ridiculous in her life. Professor Dumbledore busied himself with pouring the tea as he waited for her mirth to subside.

"I was here before, you know, back in my teaching days. I was sent here for the same reason I have come to visit you. The young man I met that day was also suspicious of my motives. He demanded a demonstration before believing that he was a wizard. Would you care for some proof?"

She nodded in reply, taking a sip of the hot drink he had handed over. She nearly dropped the teacup as she witnessed what happened next (if she had broken it, Mrs Finnegan would have had her guts for garters)

He took a long, thin stick from his jacket pocket and pointed it at the filing cabinet that stood behind her chair. One of its doors opened and out flew a folder she recognised. It landed with a small thump on the table in front of her and opened. A small envelope rose out of it and hovered before her eyes. She saw once more the green spindly writing scrawled across the front of it and it triggered an immediate response. She fumbled for the envelope he had handed to her a few minutes before. The writing was the same; the ink was precisely the same shade. They were without a doubt written by the same person.

She stared up at it once more, enthralled, and then recoiled as the letter she had wanted to open so badly before burst into flames. Her scream never left her throat as just a second later the flames died out and to her amazement the envelope was still intact. The little flap opened and the hand written note within floated over to her. She took it gingerly and read it in silence. Professor Dumbledore waited patiently, sipping on his tea as though nothing had happened.

 _Dear Martha,_

 _I am entrusting into your care this child, whose parents have recently perished. Her name is Amy Prince and she is a little over a year old._

 _I would kindly request that you do not attempt to inquire after any living relatives and I ask that you keep this out of the papers as she may be in danger. I would not place you in such a position but I'm afraid it is of the utmost importance that her whereabouts be kept secret._

 _It weighs on me heavily to ask more of you after all these years but I know that you are to be trusted. I will come personally when she is of age to attend Hogwarts and until then it would be best that she remain ignorant of the wizarding world, for her own safety._

 _Sincerely yours and forever in your debt,_

 _Albus Percival Wulfric Brian Dumbledore_

Amy read it twice before placing it on the desk. She looked over at him to find him watching her intently.

"Its all true." She said, her voice sounding very far away. "I always knew that my parents were…that they are dead…but to see it written down is…and this makes it seem as though…" she cleared her throat before continuing.

"It wasn't an accident was it? I always thought it was some sort of accident. They were murdered weren't they?"

He nodded. "Yes Rodderick and Annora Price were murdered." His tone was very serious but his eyes were sad. "Before you were born the magical community was at war. On one side stood a very powerful and dangerous wizard and his many fanatical followers. He craved absolute power and hated people who's blood was not, as he and many others think of as pure, that is to say that perhaps one or both of their parents were muggles; those who have no magic. We use the term muggle born in the latter case. Those who stood against him were in terrible and constant danger. Many perished. Families were torn apart."

He seemed lost in memories for a moment and she brought him back to the present by asking;

"Were my mother and father muggle borns? Is that why they were killed?" he shook his head, no longer meeting her eyes.

"No. Your parents both came from long lines of magic users. As far as anyone knew they were non participants who believed in his cause. Secretly, they betrayed him, feeding our side information about his plans, information they received from acquaintances who were active followers. Nobody knew of their involvement but me. Not even your fathers own brother, until Lord Voldemort, for that is what he called himself, found out about it and from what I have gathered immediately went to your home to murder them personally. It was on that very same night that he disappeared."

It took her quite some time to take in the all the information she had just received in so short a period of time, and when she did finally speak again it was to ask the most pressing question that had arisen from his last sentence.

"I have an uncle? Was he…is he still alive?"

"Yes. Your father's half brother. He survived the war and is your only living relative."

She couldn't believe it. After all this time feeling so alone and believing she had no one left who she could call family it turns out that she had an uncle out there somewhere.

"Do you know where he is? When can I meet him?" she exclaimed, thinking about a tearful reunion, hopefully in the near future.

"If you accept your place at the school you will meet him on the first of September. He is a teacher at Hogwarts." Dumbledore told her and she nearly fell out of her chair.

Of course she accepted her place at the school on the spot. She then asked the rest of her questions.

"The man who killed them…Lord Voldemort…you said that he disappeared?"

"Yes. He paid another house call that evening, this time to a family quite similar to your own. He murdered Lily and James Potter and then turned his wand upon their son, Harry. When he tried to kill the boy however, it is said that his curse rebounded and hit him, killing him instead.

Harry somehow managed to survive, with only a scar to tell the tale but I do not believe that Voldemort perished that night. I believe he will return and he still has followers out there. People who believe in his cause who would return to his side through loyalty and fear, which is why it is imperative that you tell no one the true tale of your parents deaths. No one must know.

"That sounds like what you wrote in the letter." She said, indicating the note that still lay out on the desk before her.

"Yes when you were left here that night Voldemorts followers were for the most part still at large. Many were arrested and tried for their crimes. Some had already done terrible damage trying to find their master, not believing that he could be defeated. I feared for your safety."

He made her promise that she would keep the real details of her parents murders secret. She was to simply tell people that they died in the war and feign ignorance about the how's or whys. He impressed upon her that it was safer that way and she agreed to do as he bid. Not long after that and on a happier note he left, telling her he looked forward to seeing her in September and wishing her a belated happy birthday. She thanked him as she walked with him to the front door.

After he was gone, disappearing into the night she stood at the door, deep in thought until an all too familiar voice called out to her;

"Well I see you haven't been carted off where you belong yet Prince. Bring in those tea things. They won't wash themselves!" Mrs Finnegan called from the door to the kitchen.

After cleaning the tea set under the watchful glare of the cook she went up to her room and skipped lunch. She assumed, because Tabitha had not been sent to hunt her down the stairs, that the matron had told the staff not to bother her. She sat on her bedroom floor and attempted to read her acceptance letter. She had opened it excitedly at first but hadn't gotten past the first line. It wouldn't go in. she couldn't concentrate on it. As exciting as it was to have learned about a whole other world, she had also learned the truth about her mother and fathers deaths, theirs and many others, and though she had grown up knowing they were dead, she found herself grieving for them as though it had just happened. Tears filled her eyes until she could no longer make out the words on the page in front of her.

Mrs Crowley found her sitting there around dinner time. She had stopped crying but hadn't been able to bring herself to move yet. The matron sat down on the bed behind her and waited for Amy to begin the conversation.

"How much do you know?" Amy asked finally, not looking back as she spoke.

"Only what was in the letter. I take it he showed it to you?" Amy nodded in reply. "I don't know any more about where you came from, but I know a little bit about the school"

"Are you a witch?"

"No. I only know what Albus wrote to me years ago. As you already know, he was here before, to see another child. I was very young then, and a couple of years later, when I had climbed the ladder a bit here Albus wrote to ask me to keep an eye on the boy when he was home for the summer."

"It was Tom Riddle wasn't it" Amy guessed in a whisper. "You used to warn us about ending up like him."

Mrs Crowley got slowly down onto the floor and sat beside her then, wrapping an arm around her. Amy was surprised, but comforted by the gesture.

"Believe me Amy. You are nothing like him. He was a mean, cruel boy. You don't have a cruel bone in your body. I'm sorry to have been so hard on you. Truth be told at first I was worried that you might be similar, after all he was the only other…wizard I had ever met, but I was wrong, it didn't take long for me to see that." She gave Amy a little squeeze.

"And I thought you'd be safer if I had you wash a few dishes and write a few lines when something odd happened rather than letting it go and having people suspicious." Amy saw the sense in her words.

"It didn't work with Mrs Finnegan" Amy chuckled.

"Between you and me Mrs Finnegan is a suspicious sour goat to begin with." Amy laughed aloud and the matron joined in. "now help me up, I'm too old to be sitting on cold floors. I'll send Tabitha up with a dinner tray. No more skipping meals young lady."

Amy felt a lot better after that and with stiff legs from sitting in one place for so long, helped Mrs Crowley to a standing position. She watched her leave with a new found respect and affection, before picking up her letter and reading it fully. She then read through her list and directions to Diagon Alley. She found a little key in the bottom of the envelope and put it on her bedside table along with a train ticket. She felt hopeful for the future, as well as massively nervous at the thought of beginning a new life as a witch, making friends (she hoped) and meeting her uncle. Soon after that she ate the dinner that a complaining Tabitha had carried up for her and got into bed, falling asleep quickly and drifting into a dreamless sleep.


	3. Chapter 3

**Disclaimer** ; original story, contents, chapters and characters belong to the great JK. I own nothing etc.

 **Chapter 3**

Amy stood outside the shabby little building that was supposed to be the entrance to the wizarding shopping street. Mrs Crowley ordered her a taxi that brought her to the address Dumbledore had given her. She was nervous about what she would find when she entered the inn.

She was full of doubts. What if it had all been a lie, an elaborate illusion or worse, a trick of her broken mind? The taxi driver had asked if she was sure she wanted to get out on the rundown road they pulled up on and she had had to think about it for a moment. Curiosity overwhelmed her doubt and she got out, looking up and down the street. It took a moment before she saw it.

The name was a good start she supposed, looking up at the little sign that read; _the leaky cauldron_ , swinging slightly in the summer breeze. She steeled herself, took a deep breath and entered into the candlelit pub, letting out a sigh of relief once she noticed what the other patrons were wearing. That had to be a step in the right direction. As she wound her way through the throng to the long counter she overheard snippets of conversation;

"I can't believe you missed it Mildred. It was really him!" "I shook his hand, I did."

"That's right, Harry Potter! Not an hour ago."

She recognised the name from her meeting with the headmaster and the last of her resignations melted away. Reaching the bar she asked for Tom as instructed and shyly asked him to show her the way out on to the street. He kindly led her out to a brick wall and with a few taps of his wand it opened out to reveal a sight that filled her with wonder. She thanked the barman and took her first steps into the magical new world.

Everywhere she looked there was something fantastic to take in. Each shop front was unique and amazing. The street was packed with families shopping for school things together and the sight of children holding hands with their parents threatened to dampen her mood a little but she pushed through it and walked over to a friendly looking woman surrounded by a gaggle of sooty faced, red headed children.

"Excuse me? I wonder could you please tell me how to get to Gringotts?" She asked, feeling her face heat a little as all eyes of the group landed on her. The woman smiled down at her kindly.

"First time here, dear?" She asked. Amy nodded in response. "It's right around the corner dear you can't miss it, big white building." Amy thanked her and made her way in the direction the woman had pointed. She couldn't help but overhear the woman wondering aloud at her being there unsupervised.

"On her own, poor little thing. Parents these days" she complained "poor dear couldn't have been any older than you Ron."

Amy shook it off. She had been right. The bank was not a building she could have missed.

It was massive. She walked up the impressive marble steps and through the ornate doors. She tried not to stare at the creepy little creatures that ran the bank; instead, she did her best to be polite. After a gut churning ride underground, she was brought to her vault. The little Goblin that accompanied her there, Griphook, he called himself, opened the door to the vault.

He stood back as she took a step into the small room, staring dumbfounded at the mounds of gold, silver and bronze coins piled on the floor. She filled the inside pockets of a little backpack she had brought with her and after one last look at the shiny treasures, turned back to the goblin, who had a smug look on his face. She didn't ask why, steeling herself for the journey back to the surface, which was no less awful than the last.

She left Gringotts with more money than she had ever had, and a distinct dislike for a certain goblin.

She wandered around for a while first, taking it all in. she made her first purchase in a small, narrow shop that sold travelling equipment, where she ordered a large trunk. It was written on her equipment list that she should bring one big enough to transport her things to and from school. The shopkeeper took down her information and assured her that it would arrive at her address within three working days. That done, she went back out onto the street, list in hand and began her mission to buy everything she would need to fit into it.

Her next stop was to Madam Malkins robes for all occasions, where she was fitted for and bought her school uniform. Then she went down the street to a wand shop called Ollivanders and by the time she left with her new wand which was 10 inches long and made of willow with a core of unicorn hair, she was quite confused. When she had gone in and rung the little bell on the counter and Mr Ollivander had come out from the back his eyes had widened and he muttered to himself;

"Curious." He had then given her a few wands to try out, naming each of their properties as he did so until her wand "chose" her.

"Very interesting. Miss…?" He said as he put the wand back into its box and handed it over.

"Prince" She supplied and he raised an eyebrow in return.

"Well I shall let you return to your shopping…Miss Prince." She turned back as she left to see that he was still watching her, his eyebrows nearly reaching his hairline.

She then bought a pewter cauldron in Potage's cauldron shop, and a telescope, a set of crystal phials and brass scales in a shop named Wiseacre's Wizarding Equipment. She then bought some parchment an array of stationary in Scribbulus writing instruments before taking a break and enjoying an ice cream while sitting outside Florean Fortescues Ice cream parlour.

She was casually people watching when she spotted Flourish and Blotts. She had been looking forward to getting her school books all day, saving it as one of her last stops. But actually seeing the book shop put a big grin on her face. She finished her ice cream quickly and, heaving her now heavy shopping bags, crossed the cobbled street and entered the bookstore.

She felt she would need years to properly appreciate the sheer amount of wonderful volumes lining the walls, in towering piles all over the floor and every available surface. As she wasn't in a hurry she decided to have a look around while waiting for the line leading to the counter to shorten.

She walked up the winding staircase to the second floor where there was more space to move around, barely feeling the weight of her shopping anymore as she began to peruse the shelves. She picked out a few books as she wandered around, before finding a quite corner and sitting down on the floor, volumes spread out around her and immediately felt at home.

"Waiting for the line to shorten?" She looked up to see who had spoken to find a boy who looked to be around her age standing in front of her. She stood and got a better look at him. He was taller than her, pale and had white blonde hair and a pointed chin. His smile didn't quite reach his grey eyes as he held out his hand.

"Draco Malfoy." He said as they shook hands.

"Amy Prince." She replied, feeling a little awkward at the formality of this meeting. "Are you here to get your school books too?"

"No. Mother ordered my books weeks ago. We just came to get fitted for my uniform. Mother is browsing in Twilfitt and Tatting's and father ran into a colleague in the street so I came in here for a while. He looked about him rather self importantly but there was something about him that stood out beyond the pale features and cynical expression, something that made her feel as though he might be as lonely as she was.

"Are your parents here?" he asked and she shook her head.

"No I…" her reply was cut short by a mans voice coming from the top of the stairs;

"Draco?" he called before spotting them and walking over. This man could only be Draco's father, his long blonde hair, though longer, was the same shade as the boys and he walked with a graceful and pompous air that made her feel clumsy and instantly made her dislike him.

"Draco we're leaving." He said once he reached them.

"Yes father." Draco replied formally. "This is Amy Prince." His father nodded in her direction.

"Ah, Prince." Mild confusion played on his face for a moment but it was quickly smoothed away and his expression reverted to its original mild indifference. "Your father must have been Rodderick prince if I'm not mistaken?"

"Yes." She replied, receiving a little thrill at hearing her fathers name spoken aloud for the second time in her life.

"I was sorry to hear of his demise." He looked to his son. "Well, Draco, your mother is waiting downstairs. We have to be back at the manor in time to receive our guests." Turning back he nodded farewell and left.

"See you at Hogwarts" Draco said, half-smiling again as he followed his father down the stairs. She bent and retrieved the books she meant to buy and took a moment to replace the ones she wasn't going to be purchasing on their shelves before carefully descending the steps herself, her bags once again weighing her down.

There were only a few people queuing when she reached the first floor, so she soon left the shop with all her school books and a few extras for background reading. Her last stop on Diagon alley was to Eeylops owl emporium, where she bought a pretty little Northern Saw-whet Owl in a large cage and a heavy bag of treats. She then made her way slowly back up the street to the inn, where she ordered a big dinner and ate it slowly, taking in the chatter around her and hearing all about **_The Boy Who Lived._**

The matron had given her taxi fare for the way home but she decided to take the bus instead and used the longer trip to think over the days events. There had been so much to take in. a tired smile lit up her face as she thought back over the higher points of the day. The only dampener was that she wished she could have shared the day with someone.

By the time she got off at her stop, nearly tripping over her bags as she made the short walk to the front steps of the orphanage it was dark and she was exhausted. Once inside she let Mrs Crowley know she was back and headed straight up for her room, closing the door, placing her owl gently on her narrow desk and dropping her bags immediately. She was so tired and yet couldn't help but empty all her bags and look through everything she had purchased.

She hung her uniform up in her wardrobe, put her stationary, scales and phials into her cauldron which she placed in the corner, heaved the bag of owl treats over to the space between her desk and the wall, before opening it and putting a handful in the owl's food bowl. Then she went to the bathroom with the water bowl and filled it from the tap before carefully placing it back in the cage.

Once that was done she opened the cage door and her window, letting the little owl fly out into the night as she had been instructed, watching her go with a smile before turning to the remaining bags that contained her books and wand.

She upended the books onto her bed and placed the wand, still in its box, in a drawer in her desk. She sat on the bed and looked down at the little pile, not knowing which to open first. After a while she picked a thick volume with the title; _Hogwarts, a history._ She had been excited upon finding it in the bookshop and it didn't disappoint.

Though she was exhausted she couldn't put it down once she began reading it, and when she did finally succumb to sleep curled up at the foot of the bed she only had a few chapters left, which she eagerly finished the next morning before heading down for breakfast.

After eating a large bowl of porridge she ran back up to her room and grabbed another book before running back down and out into the sunshine. She sat under an old tree out in the small yard and opened the book; _Natures Nobility; a Wizarding Genealogy._ She wasn't thrilled by the title but was soon engrossed in the family trees depicted within.

She soon found her own last name and followed it down to its end. She wasn't surprised to see that her name was not written there but it did give her a twinge of disappointed. She perused some more, flipping through the pages when her eye caught another name; Malfoy.

The next couple of weeks went by too slowly for her liking. Her trunk came, as promised, three days after she ordered it and after lugging it up to her room, opening it and grabbing everything she owned. Her clothes, folded neatly, didn't take up much room. She carefully placed her uniform atop them and then put in her cauldron full of equipment, steadying the crystal phials within using her rolled up socks. She put in her wand and owl treats, her books and a small bag of toiletries.

Even though September the first was almost a month away she couldn't help but fill it now, even though she may have to repack her clothes every now and again. It didn't matter, she was just too excited.

She kept a calendar that she had made herself, on her bedside table and every night before she went to sleep she crossed out another day, her belly filling with butterflies as the days crept slowly onwards.


	4. Chapter 4

**Disclaimer** ; original story, contents, chapters and characters belong to the great JK. I own nothing etc.

 **Chapter 4**

By the time September first finally arrived, Amy had read the first few chapters of each of her school books read. She had also finished all of the extra books she had bought, including; _Great Wizarding Events of the Twentieth Century_ and _The Rise and Fall of the Dark Arts_ , which thankfully didn't mention her parents at all.

She felt sick with anticipation. She would be waving goodbye to the orphanage until the summer as she had no intention of returning for Christmas or Easter. She would, however, send the matron a card for both, something she might not have considered at the beginning of the summer holidays. She was so excited and nervous that morning that she had left extra early, giving Mrs Crowley a quick hug and waving goodbye through the back window of the taxi as it drove off to Kings Cross station.

When she got out of the car and hefted her trunk and bird cage containing a slightly flustered Winnie (she had named her after a witch in one of her favourite movies) she took the train ticket out of her jeans pocket for the tenth time that morning and stared at it. _Platform nine and three quarters_ flashed up at her, written in gold. That was the part she had been dreading.

Wheeling her trolley over between platforms nine and ten she stopped and looked around, a knot in her stomach. There was no sign for nine and three quarters. It didn't exist. Before allowing herself to panic, she took a deep breath and decided to wait. Something would happen she was sure of it, remembering how it had taken her a moment to see _the leaky cauldron._ Perhaps she just had to look in the right place from the right angle.

Thankfully, she didn't have to wait long. A group of people appeared seemingly out of thin air. She watched them closely, noticing their odd clothes. After watching as each of them walked right through the barrier between the platforms she followed suit, her stomach twisting in panic as the solid brick wall loomed closer and closer until, finally, she was through.

She exhaled in amazement at the sight she was met with; there was a wonderful old red steam train billowing smoke across the platform that was full of people dressed as they had been in Diagon alley. Not having to say any goodbyes, Amy dragged her trunk and owl cage onto the train, gladly receiving help from a porter, and searched for an empty compartment.

She soon found one and sat by the window, watching as parents tearfully said goodbye to their children. It was a bittersweet sight. Out of the corner of her eye she caught sight of the red haired woman she had asked for directions in Diagon alley. Her eyes widened as she saw a boy just ahead of the gaggle of red heads. She had definitely seen the skinny, be speckled boy before, but couldn't place him. It niggled at her until someone cleared their throat behind her.

"May I" asked the boy she had previously been watching. He stood at the door and was gesturing towards the seat across from her.

"Sure" she replied and got up to help him with his trunk. They introduced themselves and she felt her eyes widen as he said his name. He seemed embarrassed, noticing her eyes rove over his forehead so she didn't mention the fact that she had read about him in _The Rise and Fall of the Dark Arts_. Instead they sat in silence as they stared out the window at the thinning crowd.

The red headed family were now standing within earshot, talking about him and she watched as Harry's face grew redder with every syllable uttered about him. She studied him covertly, still sure she had seen him somewhere before. He was taller than her, but not by much and looked like he could really do with some big dinners.

His hair was jet black and very untidy. Like her he was pale without the curse of freckles which was more than could be said about the boy who entered the compartment soon after. He was one of the kids who they had been listening in on and he stared at Harry as he sat down. They welcomed him and more introductions were made. Then the train began to and they excitedly began their journey to Hogwarts.

The trip passed quite quickly as the three got on well. The journey passed quite quickly. The three got on well. Ron's stories about his older brothers and complaints about his pet rat made the other two giggle and groan in turn. After a while an elderly lady passed with a trolley full of treats. Harry bought a bit of everything and they shared them, Amy and Harry marvelling at all the sweets they had never had before.

As the view outside the train changed from farmland to forested areas a boy knocked and then opened their compartment door. He was very upset as he had lost his toad. They assured him that they hadn't seen it and he left, sniffling.

Ron was about to try out a spell on his rat, scabbers when the boy returned with a bushy haired, slightly bucktoothed girl, who, insisted on watching Ron's display. Unfortunately it didn't work and she left shortly after that, but not before introductions were made and the girl, Hermione Granger, rambled on about how she had read all about Harry. The boys thought she was a bit annoying and pompous but Amy liked her. She had also read about Harry though she had thought better than to mention it.

After Hermione left Amy gathered her uniform from her trunk and walked to the bathroom to change. She passed a small group on the way and smiled as she recognised the boy in the lead. He almost smiled in return but seemed to think better of it at the last second.

"Ah, Amy isn't it?" He asked, the two boulders behind him nearly bumping into him as he stopped walking. Neither paid her much mind, their rather dull expressions leading her to think that navigating down the aisle while it swayed slightly took up most of their concentration.

"Yes. Draco, nice to see you again." Draco moved to the side, giving her space to move past. After a moment of thought the other two copied him and she then got the feeling that they were more used to barrelling past others. She chided herself internally for these unforgiving thoughts.

"I'm afraid I can't stop to chat at the moment. Everyone has been saying that Harry Potter is on the train and I'm on my way to introduce myself."

She remembered how formal he had been the first time they met and smiled again. "Yes he is. He's in that compartment back there." She pointed at the door she had only a moment ago slid closed after her, before passing the three boys and walking the rest of the way to the small bathroom. By the time she had returned, Draco was nowhere to be seen and Harry and Ron, who had also changed into their school robes were looking a little grumpy. She guessed that it hadn't gone well then.

As the train began to slow, talk turned to the four houses in Hogwarts while they gathered up the remainders of the sweets. Ron insisted that Gryffindor was the house to aim for. Amy had gotten that impression from _Hogwarts; a History,_ but she also liked the sound of Ravenclaw as a second choice. They moved out into the large line forming in the aisle as the train pulled slowly into the station, nearly hopping with nervous anticipation.

An incredibly tall and wild looking man was waiting for them on the platform, holding a lantern. He bade them to follow his lead and led them to the edge of a lake. Harry had told them about the kindly gamekeeper who had delivered his letter and took him to Diagon alley and he quickly told them that this was he. They piled into boats that seemed to steer themselves, Harry and Ron sharing one with the toadless boy; Neville, and Amy with Hermione and an Irish boy called Seamus.

Soon the school came into view and Amy felt her jaw drop. Looking around her she saw she wasn't the only one. It was a magnificent castle with towers and turrets. She couldn't hold back her grin as they clambered out of the boats and walked up to the well lit school and through the massive front doors. Hagrid left them in the vast entrance hall and she looked around at the paintings lining the high walls, in awe of her surroundings.

They were soon joined by a stern looking witch who reminded her a little of the matron. She introduced herself as Professor McGonagall. The little speech she gave then set off a lot of alarm bells. Like most of the others, Amy didn't know what the sorting involved, but she was terrified. She hadn't tried out any of the spells she had read about in her school books and suddenly regretted it deeply.

What if those who failed at whatever test lay before them had to get back on the train? The knot in her stomach that had untied itself once she had gotten through to platform nine and three quarters suddenly reappeared and it had brought some friends for a party.

After an agonizing wait McGonagall returned and instructed them to follow her. They made their way into the Great Hall. It was beautiful; high ceilings that mimicked the weather outside, just as she had read, floating candles, the four house tables and the staff table, where she knew her uncle must be sitting. Which one was he? She wondered.

McGonagall placed a hat on a stool and took out a long piece of parchment from which she began calling out names. What a relief. Ron had been saying they might have to face a troll!

All too soon it was her turn "Prince, Amy." She went up to the stool and sat, facing the sea of pupils whose eyes were fixed upon her. The sorting hat was placed on her head, almost reaching the end of her nose and she felt a nervous excitement take her as a voice spoke in her ear.

"Ah, yes... how thrilling." The hat began. "Mysteries yet to be unlocked, I see. A curious mind. How fitting. Very clever indeed…maybe Ravenclaw... but loyal… Hufflepuff? And brave, but secretive… Perhaps Slytherin, or Gryffindor... difficult to decide, I dare say. All the traits in one young mind..."

"Decisions, decisions..." the hat continued before yelling loudly for everyone in the hall to hear;

"BETTER BE SLYTHERIN!"

Her heart sank. She remembered what Ron had said on the train about Slytherin. She glanced at the two boys as she passed. They looked surprised. She distinctly heard Ron say;

"I thought she was alright."

She walked to the table where people were clapping. As she sat down she was looked up and down by her new housemates and noted that they weren't the friendliest-looking bunch.

Soon she was joined by Draco Malfoy, who sat to her left, looking distinctly happy. He prattled on at her about it was a terrible injustice that first years couldn't bring their broomsticks. She barely listened, but watched intently and with great sadness as harry and Ron were sorted into Gryffindor. Even the magical appearance of the food couldn't cheer her up fully.

It was a few moments before she realised Draco was trying to get her attention.

"Sorry what?" she asked turning to face him.

"I was just saying that father told me he hadn't been aware that your family had had a child. He said your birth wasn't announced or the Prince family tree updated."

She suddenly felt eyes boring into the back of her head and turned to meet the gaze of one of the teachers sitting at the staff table. He was dressed in black robes, with hair to match, sallow skin and a hooked nose. His eyes, also black, were set on her so intently that she had no doubt that this was the man she had been searching for while waiting to be sorted.

For a moment she was frozen, unable to look away. The moment passed and she was free, feeling strange, her thoughts slightly jumbled. Looking up, she saw that her uncle was no longer staring at her, but she couldn't help but notice that he looked quite sad.

Draco was a little annoyed, obviously unused to being ignored by those around him. She gave him the story Dumbledore had fed her;

"I didn't even know I was a witch until I got my letter." She said, seeing his eyes widen in shock. "I grew up in a muggle orphanage. Nobody knew about me so I guess there was nobody to come looking." Draco's eyes were as wide as saucers by that point.

"It must have been awful living with muggles." He said in distaste. She nodded.

"Yes. And the worst part is that I'll have to return every summer until I graduate.

It didn't feel right but it was important to Dumbledore, for some reason that she fit in. Had he known that she would be sorted into Slytherin? If so, how? And why was it so imperative that she portray herself in such a way just to get along with the people in her house? She went along with it anyway, hoping that she would soon get a better answer than her safety should Voldemort return. What if she didn't care what the dark wizard thought of her?

She looked up at the headmaster to find that he was now looking her way. He nodded and she got a funny feeling that he knew what she and Draco had been talking about and that he was aware of the turmoil in her mind. He gave her a slight nod and she jumped a little in her seat, afraid to think too much about anything for the time being. Was he in her head?

Draco was talking again and she had missed the beginning of his sentence;

"…and so I suppose that makes him your head of house as well as your uncle. I dare say you shall be getting top marks in potions."

"We'll see" she said. "I haven't even met him yet."

Dumbledore got up and made a little welcoming speech before the golden plates and goblets filled on the table before them. She helped herself to some delicious steak and mashed potato and for a while her thoughts were only on her dinner.

Suddenly a sharp pain exploded in her head and looking around the hall while massaging her temples she noticed, across the hall, that Harry was clutching his forehead. No one else seemed to be affected so when she caught sight of Draco looking at her funny she explained it away as a migraine, which it must have been, but then as suddenly as it had hit her, it stopped. She looked back at Harry again to find that he too, was looking about him in confusion.

Coincidence, she told herself.

 **Hi! Hope you're enjoying the story so far. Please review! Aoife :) P.S Thanks Alice, let me know if I make another slip up x**


	5. Chapter 5

**Chapter 5**

The entrance to the hallway that led to the Slytherin common room was hidden behind a stone wall that gave way when one of the prefects, who led the first years through the cold maze of hallways in the dungeons below the castle. The other prefect, a snobby girl with an upturned nose who seemed about as approachable as a wild dog in the middle of its dinner, warned them never to tell anyone from one of the other houses where the entrance was situated. When Amy entered the common room, she noted that it reflected the students who lived there; Cold and opulent.

Everywhere she looked she saw leather and marble and mirrors. There was a large ornate fireplace, its cold white marble body accentuated by the silver that ran through it.

The rug before the fireplace was expensive looking, in the Slytherin colours, mirroring the banners that lined the walls. The couches and chaise lounges that flanked the fireplace and dotted the cavernous room were green leather, with dark wooden side tables that held green tinged crystal shaded lamps and the desks that lined one of the long, tapestry lined walls in a neat row were made of white marble, seeming to have grown straight out from the walls. Shelves also jutted out from the stone walls at intervals, packed with skulls and expensive looking books.

The high-backed, uncomfortable looking arm chairs before the desks were of the same green leather as the couches. The whole room was tinged green because the porthole windows (the frames solid silver, of course) looked out into the lake.

The first years were quiet, spending more time sizing up the competition rather than making friends. She did her best to meet the eyes that met her own as they stood in a loose group.

The male prefect, who was profoundly ugly, gestured towards a set of ornate doors across the room before slouching over to one of the couches and sitting, facing the opposite direction. Goodnight to you too, she thought, walking towards the doors with the rest of her group. They led out to a wide hallway that split into two after a few feet. The female prefect, who had come this far with them, informed them that the girls' dormitories were situated along the hall to their left, and the boys to the right. She followed the correct path, reading the names inscribed on hammered silver upon each door. Finally she spotted her name along with that of three other girls; Daphne Greengrass, Millicent Bulstrode and Pansy Parkinson.

She pushed the door open to reveal a generously sized room with flagstone floors dotted here and there by the same green rugs as the one in the common room. The stone walls were covered in places by tapestries and there was one porthole window, slightly larger than those in the other room, casting the same murky green glow that the light from a candle holding chandelier tried its best to disperse.

The biggest features of the room were the large four-poster beds with green velvet hangings. She spotted her trunk placed at the end of one and moved towards it. She took in the bedside table, chest of drawers and full length mirror that stood beside it as she approached.

She figured that she had better unpack and sort out her things before getting ready for bed, though she was full and sleepy after a long day. The other girls, who entered a couple of seconds after she did, had the same idea and they all set about unpacking their trunks. Conversation was stilted at first but soon the others were immersed in deep out-bragging.

She didn't have much input in the conversation, only answering direct questions and the others had soon decided that she wasn't very interesting what with her meagre selection of clothing, no interesting connections and general lack of knowledge about most of the events and people they gossiped about. She didn't think much of them either so it wasn't that much of a loss, though she would have liked to have made some friends.

She was the first to finish unpacking and gathered up her bag of toiletries and pyjamas before entering the large en-suite bathroom, (complete with four sets of everything; showers, toilet stalls and sinks, the wall above which was completely mirrored) to get ready for bed and leave them to their chatter, the topic of which turned to her as soon as she was out of the room, some of which she overheard as she brushed her teeth.

"I heard she grew up with muggles."

"Ew! Really?"

"One of the second years overheard her saying it to Draco Malfoy."

"The shame!"

"I know. And she's related to Snape."

"The potions master?"

She tried to block them out while changing and as she re-entered the room they all suddenly stopped talking. As the other girls got ready for bed she got into hers and closed the hangings, grateful for the little bit of privacy and wishing she could have a room of her own.

Classes began the very next day. The first of which being transfiguration with Professor McGonagall. Amy got up extra early so she would have a chance to find the right room after a quick breakfast consisting of honeyed porridge and a glass of orange juice. The simple fare was still ten times tastier than anything Mrs. Finnegan had ever served.

Hermione Granger was one of the first to arrive also and Amy knew why. The bushy-haired girl had no friends either. She made a snap decision and walked over to where the girl was sitting, taking out her books.

"May I sit with you?" she asked. The other seemed surprised and a little suspicious.

"I thought all Slytherin's were horrible," she said sounding genuinely curious. Even so, the comment stung.

"I didn't ask to be one, you know," she felt betrayed by the tears welling up in her eyes as she made to leave but Hermione grabbed her wrist.

"Oh no! Please sit, I didn't mean to affront you. I'm so sorry!" It was then that Draco Malfoy and his lackeys arrived.

"Alright Prince?" he greeted her before glaring at Hermione.

"What's wrong with you?" he said turning back to Amy and looking into her eyes.

"N-nothing," she replied, angry with herself for seeming weak, "I was just about to sit down..."

"Please come back, I am terribly sorry," cried Hermione.

"I don't want your pity Hermione," Amy said, almost in a whisper. She wasn't really angry with the girl. She was annoyed with herself for being so sensitive. She had gone her whole life without friends. Why would this school be any different in that aspect than her last one?

She knew she couldn't seem weak in front of her fellow Slytherin because she would be torn to pieces, but when she looked back at Draco Malfoy, Bully Extraordinaire, it was not scorn she saw in his eyes before he put down his bag and sat behind her. Perhaps she had made a friend after all.

Harry and Ron arrived late, claiming to have gotten lost, Professor McGonagall, who had been sitting on her large desk at the top of the room in the form of a cat, and so must have noticed the scene between her and Hermione, transformed and gave them a talking to. Draco seemed delighted as he watched the display. She no longer felt sure if she wanted a friend like him anymore.

She really did try to focus on the rest of the lesson.

Potions class was very odd. It took place in the dungeons and they had to wait in the rather cold hallway, lining up in front of the door. The Gryffindors were with them for this class, too and Amy tried her best not to eavesdrop in on Harry and Ron's conversation, thinking back to the trip on the train and how they had become such fast friends, ruined simply because she was sorted into Slytherin.

It was silly and infantile and she couldn't help but feel resentful towards not only the sorting hat for choosing the house she was in but also with Dumbledore and the two boys. She remembered what Ron had said as she had passed them to go to her house table. It still hurt. She looked over at Hermione, also standing alone and looking impatient for the class to begin. The curly-haired girl met her eyes and gave her a tentative smile. She returned it, feeling a little guilty about their earlier exchange.

It wasn't until she had received her timetable early that morning that she had realised her uncle was the potions master. She had been looking forward to this class more than any of the others for that one reason and now, in the chilly hallway, felt nervous at the thought of finally meeting him properly. She wondered what he was like. He had seemed intimidating and forbidding sitting up at the staff table the night before, never mind a little scary after the way his eyes had locked hers to them and she could only hope her first impression of him was wrong.

Finally the door was opened for them and they walked in. The room was very big with benches for pairs of students to work at. Amy grabbed one near the front, all the better to get a good view of the teacher. Hermione was just walking over to her when Draco pushed past and sat down beside her. Amy was about to protest when the door was slammed shut and Professor Snape strode to the raised area at the top of the classroom.

She took in his appearance again; tall, dressed in high collared black robes with longish jet black hair and a hooked nose. There was no family resemblance between them, she noted, but that could be explained by the fact that he and her father were half brothers. She had never even seen a photograph of her parents; she may have taken after her mother. He had the ability of silencing the class by his mere presence and she feared that her first impression had been correct after all.

After giving a speech on what was expected of them as his students and the rules they were to follow he took the role, hesitating twice as he did so, once, when reaching Harry's name, this was followed by a look of disdain, and again, when he read out hers.

"Prince, Amy." He read, looking up from his scroll and meeting her eyes. She swallowed, hoping not to be frozen in place once more but this time he returned his attention to the parchment in his hand after only a single heartbeat, it was enough time, however, for her to notice the pain that flickered in his dark eyes.

The first year's first potions lesson passed slowly after an uncomfortable beginning in which Snape threw questions at Harry and when the boy couldn't answer them, the potions master quipped that _fame wasn't everything._ She felt that this was very unfair, even though she herself, as well as Hermione Granger, who practically leapt out of her seat in eagerness, knew the answers. She hadn't raised her own hand, too intimidated. It wasn't a very good start on the road to getting to know her only remaining relative.

The rest of the hour was spent taking detailed notes. She found herself well able to keep up. So too was her potions partner. Snape had told the class to look at the person sitting beside them and revealed that that would be the person they would be working with for the rest of the year. Seeing how able Draco was to keep up with the rapidly barked and written instructions they had been given, she supposed it could be worse.

She had been intending to linger after the class in order to strike up a conversation with her uncle but as the bell tolled she found that the thought made her a little afraid. She did however pack up rather slowly so that she was one of the last to leave, thinking that she might be gifted with a sudden burst of courage. It didn't happen and she was almost at the door when he called to her;

"Miss Prince." He said in his deep voice. She couldn't tell if she was in trouble or not from his tone and so when she nervously turned and walked back up to the top of the class where he now sat at his desk, writing something on a piece of parchment with a black feather quill.

It felt like the journey took twice as long as it should have. She stopped a few feet from his desk. He remained seated but didn't offer her a chair or look up from his work. Her mouth was dry and when she plucked up the courage to speak it came out as a hoarse whisper.

"Yes Sir?" She croaked.

"Professor Dumbledore tells me that you are Rodderick's daughter." He said, only looking up from his writings after he finished the sentence. She nodded before replying;

"Yes sir." She wished she could think of something, anything to say.

"I had not spoken with my brother for many years. He and I never saw eye to eye. I never even met his wife."

"Annora." She blurted. "My mothers name was Annora." Her voice became quieter as her sentence neared its end, fading away to a whisper. She wished she hadn't interrupted but hadn't been able to stop the words tumbling out of her mouth. She knew very little about her father but even that was more than what she had learned about her mother. She only knew her name. It was all she had to cling on to and so she had to say it. Snape was silent for a minute. She thought he was about to tell her off but then he nodded.

"Yes I never met Annora. Your birth was kept secret. I suppose, being non participants they didn't want the death eaters to have any leverage to use to force them to fight." Anger flickered in his gaze and she didn't know whether it was towards the death eaters or her father.

She supposed the explanation made sense but there was something about the way he said it, almost as though he were reading from a script, as though he didn't believe what he was telling her, perhaps that was why he had looked so angry for a second. She had a lot of questions she wanted to ask him but something in his expression forbade her. She decided she would have to hold on to them and ask another time, if an opportunity ever presented itself.

As if sensing that she wanted some answers, he changed the subject;

"Now, as your head of house, potions master and…uncle… I expect you to do well in your classes and behave appropriately and to the standard held by Slytherin principles and school rules. I must also warn you not to expect any partial treatment when it comes to homework and exams." He said, looking at a spot over her head, the word "uncle" seeming difficult for him to utter.

She nodded, getting the picture, she had seen, from today's lesson, that he was already so partial towards his own house that to receive more than that would most definitely not go unnoticed. She felt her hackles rise a little though at the assumption that she would need any sort of preferential treatment at all when it came to school work.

He dismissed her and she left feeling very determined. She would rise to the challenge he had just set before her. She would prove to him and to anyone who might assume that she would use her connection to do well in class. She would be at the top of every class. She would ace every exam. She would…

 _Make him proud of her?_ A snide little voice finished the thought inside her head, bursting her little bubble of determination.

True, her first proper meeting with her uncle had not exactly been a barrel of laughs or of happy tears for that matter. She had been so looking forward to it. He was aloof, serious and intimidating. She wished things were different but there was nothing she could do about it except maybe try to impress him. He had told the class at the beginning of the lesson that he usually found himself teaching dunderheads so she would be the furthest thing from that and shatter his expectations.

She wasn't to know the true reason behind his flash of anger as he reiterated Dumbledore's story, or why looking directly at her pained him so. It most definitely wasn't a pang of loss for his dead half brother, who he had barely known.

He banged his fist against the table after she had departed. How long did Albus think he could keep this little charade going? He disapproved of most of the headmaster's schemes but this one infuriated him.

His thoughts then turned to Harry Potter and he sat back, massaging his bruised hand and thinking about how similar the boy was to his smug, arrogant thug of a father.

Amy reached the great hall in time to grab a quick bite before the lunch hour ended. She sat in the same place as the night before. Draco, who had been situated further down the long table, saw her enter and already finished his own meal moved down to sit beside her and ask;

"So what did Snape want?"

She took her time chewing and swallowing before answering.

"He just wanted to say hi" she said, not wanting to get into it. Draco raised a blonde eyebrow at that but said nothing. He didn't move back to his previous seat though and when she finished her sandwich they walked to class together, flanked, of course, by Crabbe and Goyle. To her surprise they talked easily as they walked, even though his every other sentence began with the words _my father._ Thankfully he didn't bring the subject of the potions master up again.

That afternoon after dinner Amy decided to go for a walk before heading down into the dungeons. It was quite chilly but she didn't mind, putting her hands into the deep pockets of her robe to keep them warm she strolled, lost in thought, along the edge of the lake, her eyes following the ripples upon its surface made by the crisp autumn breeze.

She was so engrossed in thought that it took her a while to notice that she was no longer alone

"It's quite nice to stroll in the afternoon, I find," said a quiet, kindly voice from her right. She turned in surprise to see Professor Dumbledore walking beside her.

"Sir! I didn't see you there." She exclaimed after jumping in surprise. He smiled his twinkly-eyed smile.

"How is your first day progressing?" he asked.

"Fine." She lied, before admitting, "Not so good, actually; I don't know why I was put in Slytherin, I wish I were in any other house...And I talked to professor Snape. I don't think he likes me very much." The headmaster was quiet for a moment, simply strolling along beside her before he asked:

"Do you know the traits of those chosen to the Slytherin house?"

She remembered what the sorting hat had said in its song;

" _Or perhaps in Slytherin,  
You'll make your real friends,  
those cunning folk use any means,  
to achieve their ends._"

"A storm is coming" Dumbledore said cryptically. "Things are changing here, the lines between the houses are blurring. You were sorted into Slytherin for a reason. Every path we follow has a conclusion."

He looked back at his school.

"As for professor Snape, I'm sure he'll come round."

"I expect you will want to get back," He said with a note of finality and she knew she was dismissed. "Oh, and Amy?" he said, as she turned to leave, "Miss Granger is a lovely girl. Look out for her, if you can."

"Yes sir, I know she is," she replied before heading back into the warm castle.

 **Please review ;) Aoife.**


	6. Chapter 6

**Chapter 6** **Amy found the library the next day after dinner. She went there for the express reason of needing a place to do her homework away from the Slytherin common room. She had tried in vein to work at one of the marble desks but the light was too dim and murky and there was no way she could concentrate in her dormitory because of her loud and obnoxious room mates. She had packed up her things for the second time in frustration and headed out through the brick door and up out of the dungeons. She asked a passing ghost for directions and soon found her way into the sanctuary of books and hushed voices. This was more like it!** **She spotted Hermione sitting alone at one of the tables and, thoughts returning to what Dumbledore had said the night before, made her way over to the bushy haired girl. As she approached she smiled as she noticed the book the other girl was reading and scribbling notes from.** **"** **I have a copy of that up in my trunk." She said as she reached the table, indicating the copy of** ** _Hogwarts; a History_** **open in front of the other girl.** **Hermione jumped at the sound and almost tipped over her bottle of ink. She righted it and looked up at her becoming a little flushed in the face.** **"** **I was just writing you a note." She said, sounding embarrassed as Amy sat down across from her. "I feel terrible about what I said yesterday."** **Amy smiled. "Don't worry about it. I was feeling a bit sensitive about the whole Slytherin thing."** **"** **Well you shouldn't." Hermione replied and handed her the scrap of parchment she had been writing on. Amy took it and read the neatly written paragraph;** _The qualities which Salazar valued in the students he chose included cleverness, resourcefulness and determination._ _So you see there's really nothing bad about any of those qualities. I was acting on ignorance and prejudice and it wasn't fair. I have a terrible habit of saying the wrong thing and putting my foot in it. I'm really sorry Amy and hope you can forgive me_ _Hermione_ _Amy smiled as she read and thanked her for the note. She didn't remember reading that passage herself and it did make her feel a little better. She was happy that she had found someone who was as much a bookworm as herself and so they had a lot to whisper about as they did their homework assignments together._ _They quietly discussed their backgrounds; Hermione was the only child of two muggle dentists. Amy regaled her with tales from the orphanage and they were given a filthy look from the librarian as they giggled whilst swapping stories of the strange things that they had unknowingly made happen. Amy didn't mention the adder she had had a conversation with or the snake at the zoo. Something stopped her from divulging that information just yet._ _From that evening on the library became the place where they would meet up most days and study together. Who knew that the place she had chosen to go to in order to be alone would be the very place she found a new friend?_ September bled out into October and soon it was Halloween. Amy was excited to experience her first all Hallows eve in the wizarding world. Charms was their last class of the day and she enjoyed the challenge of floating the feather up into the air. Of course Hermione managed to do it correctly first, much to her partners chagrin. Amy had overheard Hermione lecturing Ron on the correct phrasing of the spell and knew the girl was just trying to help but she could see how it could be taken the wrong way. She caught on soon after and her white feather floating above the class got her a smile from the diminutive professor Flitwick. She was so relieved to be doing well after spending so much time worrying about not being as good as those who came from a wizarding background. She had been sitting near the back and so was one of the last to leave the classroom. She had hoped Hermione might have waited for her and they could head to the feast together but no such luck and she saw why as she exited out into the hall. She could just spot Hermione ahead trying to catch up with Harry and Ron when she suddenly froze before barrelling past them, knocking into one of them as she did so. Amy couldn't tell what had happened from where she stood but she was worried and so decided to follow. Hermione had a big head start and so was already through the door to the girl's bathroom by the time Amy caught up. She entered the room and found that there was only one occupied stall. She could hear the sound of muffled crying and walked over, knocking on the latched door. "Hermione?" she called. There was no answer so she tried again. "Hermione, its Amy. Please let me in." She was about to knock again when the door opened slowly to reveal a very upset looking Hermione. It took a bit of time to get a coherent answer out of the sobbing girl but once she heard the whole story she felt very annoyed with a certain pair of boys. When she couldn't get her to leave the cubicle any time soon decided it was time for decisive action and giving her friend one last pat on the back, ensuring her she would sort something out, she left. The first Gryffindor she found was Seamus Finnegan, the Irish bloke. He was on his way to the Great Hall for the Halloween feast.  
"Hi Seamus," she said, "How are you?"  
"I'm grand, thanks," he said, a little warily.  
"Listen, I was just in the bathroom with Hermione Granger and she's really upset. She won't come out and I'm a bit worried about her."  
"Yeah?" he asked, still unsure. He figured; _why should she care?_ _  
_"Will you tell Ron Weasley and Harry Potter?" she asked.  
"Wh-," he said, but she cut across him, "Please?"  
"Yeah, okay, I will."  
"Thanks," she said and couldn't help but feel slightly hurt by his mistrust but told herself it would be worth it if it meant that the two boys would cop on to themselves. "Lines between the houses blurring my eye" she muttered to her self before sitting at her own house table, positioning herself so as to keep an eye on proceedings. At first she didn't think her plan had worked, Seamus did lean over to Harry and Ron and they had a whispered conversation but neither of them moved from their seats. She was just about to get up and head back to the bathroom when everything went horribly wrong. Quirrell ran into the Great Hall, screaming that a troll had entered the castle before fainting. Her first thought was Hermione. While all the other first years were led to the dormitories by the prefects, she tried to sneak away. Draco, who had been sitting beside her, his face a mask of terror, exclaimed;  
"Where do you think you're going? You'll be killed! Have you ever seen a troll?"  
"Have you?" she accused, "I'm just going to get something. I'll be right back."  
She ran to the bathroom where she had left Hermione, hoping that Harry and Ron would have gone to see was she okay. As she rounded a corner, she saw a massive, bulky, smelly figure stumble into the bathroom. And her legs threatened to stop working. Suddenly she was dragged back by a restraining hand. Ron had grabbed her and turned her towards him and Harry.  
"What do you think you're doing?" she was asked for the second time that evening.  
"Hermione's in there!" she replied.  
"We know," said Harry, keeping his eyes on the bathroom. "It's our fault, we-"  
"I know, I know. We've got to go in and get her."  
They skulked over to the bathroom door. Harry went in first. Amy was going to follow but Ron held her back.  
"I should go first," he said. They went in to the high ceilinged room to see Hermione under a sink and the troll trying to squish her with a giant club. Porcelain was flying everywhere and a small piece hit Amy on the cheek. Blood spilled down her cheek lazily as Harry jumped on the trolls back, Ron tried to do the levitating charm as Hermione talked him through it and Amy ran to make sure Hermione was unharmed. Ron made the club hit the trolls head and Harry's wand got stuck up its nose in the struggle. As the troll collapsed, Harry fell with it. As quick as she could, Amy ran to his side and helped him up. Thankfully he was unharmed. "I think you were sorted into the wrong house, Amy", said Ron, a little shyly.  
"I'm inclined to agree." Came a voice from the doorway. Professor McGonagall stood there with Quirrell and Snape. Snape looked very shocked. He seemed unable to speak. He was staring at her wound and his eyes were very wide. McGonagall was angry, and as it turned out, a little impressed. Hermione took the blame before they could explain themselves. McGonagall took points from Hermione and then gave the boys ten points each. She then turned to Snape and said;  
"I will leave Miss Evans to you." Snape seemed to come out of his shocked stupor;  
"Yes twenty points to Slytherin." McGonagall left with Harry, Ron and Hermione in tow. Each smiled at her as they went. The smile she shot them in return faded from her face very quickly after catching a glimpse at her head of house, who still stood at the door, glaring about the room. "Follow me." He said, sweeping out of the room and she was suddenly very afraid. Amy followed her uncle down through the dungeons until he stopped outside an unfamiliar door. She had noticed, as she shadowed him in silence through the dark hallways, that he was limping, she was far too scared to ask about it though and walked through the door he now held open for her, realising once she spotted the large wooden desk and walls lined with jars containing all matter of creepy creatures floating in different coloured potions, that this must be his office. He motioned for her to sit at the desk and she did so, not in the least looking forward to what was coming next. "You have disappointed me tonight." He said. "I will not have my students risking their lives. Do you understand? Not for anyone!" he began to search through the drawers in his desk as he continued; "I understand that mister Potter seems to have inherited the knack of being able to lead people blindly into trouble from his father." He spat the last word as though it tasted disgusting. "But I would never have suspected that someone from my house would fall for it. Do you not realise that you could have been killed?" She wasn't sure whether or not she should answer. He had found what he was looking for in the bottom drawer of his desk and rose from his chair once more. "I'm sorry sir but Hermione was in danger. I didn't know what else to do and I didn't follow Harry. We just ended up in the same spot." She tried to explain weakly. "You should have informed a teacher!" He yelled and she shrank in her chair. He was furious. Meekly, and knowing she was probably only going to make things worse she continued; "There didn't seem to have been enough time." "I don't care! You shouldn't have been there in the first place." He came around his desk and stood over her, his wand in his hand. She thought for a moment that he was going to curse her, but then he explained, his voice quieter, calmer and if she wasn't mistaken, tinged with a hint of worry.  
"You are hurt." He said, pointing his wand at her cheek. "Hold still." With a flick of his wand the cut on her cheek was clean. He then opened his other hand revealing the small bottle he had rooted out from his desk. "This is essence of dittany," he said, "Put a few drops on the wound." He handed her the bottle and a handkerchief which he conjured. She did what he said and the small cut closed up. It wasn't gone, but seemed to be an older wound, as if it had happened weeks ago and it no longer throbbed.  
"Thank you, sir," she said, feeling ashamed that she hadn't had the sense to get a teacher instead of rushing in, wand blazing. She hadn't really been any help to the boys anyway. He looked into her eyes for a second and looked away as if they had burned him.  
"You may go," he said, turning away from her and she left, thankful she had gotten away without a detention, or worse. As the troll had been taken care of the students were allowed to wander the halls again until curfew. She went into the common room and saw that her fellow students were carrying on the feast there, but didn't join in. instead she decided to go for a stroll up to the owlry to spend a little quality time with Winnie. She fetched a few treats from her dorm room before heading on her way. Once there Amy looked out at the spectacular view the height of the tower provided. The candlelight shining from the many windows of the castle provided her with enough light to see by and the cold breeze that blew in through the paneless windows was welcome after the heat of the short battle. She wasn't alone in the owlry for long. "What happened to your face?" Draco asked, walking over to stand beside her at the window, carefully navigating his way through the piles of owl droppings littering the floor. He wasn't mocking her, just asking, and she thought she detected a hint of concern in his voice, which surprised her a little considering how he bullied those he deemed below him, which was pretty much everyone, and how he treated his lackeys, who were surprisingly not with him. "Troll." She said, knowing that the whole school would know by morning anyway. "Got twenty points off Snape though." She tried to lighten the mood a little. He didn't take the bait. "You went up against a troll by yourself and came out with that?" he said incredulously, pointing at the faded scar on her cheek. "Well Harry and Ron did the actual facing, I just stood there." "And got hurt." He finished for her. "Potter's nothing but trouble." He sounded bitter. She let tit go though, her energy gone. She sighed, looking down at her shoes. "You always look so sad." said Draco looking as surprised as she felt at him saying this aloud. She looked at him out of the corner of her eye, startled. She hadn't thought he noticed anything that didn't concern him or his jealousy of Harry that was plain for all to see.  
"I didn't notice," she said, after the initial shock. She turned to see him petting a beautiful eagle owl. And she hadn't really. It may have just been the stresses of being sorted away from her friends or having to share a dormitory with girls she didn't particularly like, but something felt missing within her. A hole within her that had always been there but one she had thought was filled by learning about what had really happened to her parents and by learning that she was a witch. She had been wrong. It was still there and she had just momentarily forgotten about it. It hadn't ached quite so much, she realised, when she was in the thick of it with Harry, Ron and Hermione. Was it just loneliness? If so then why was it gnawing at her still as she spoke with Draco who had been nothing but friendly to her since they had met? What was it about those Gryffindors that made her feel…whole? She looked back at Draco to find him patting a very handsome eagle owl  
"I'm just going to send a letter to mother," he said.  
"Oh right, well I'll leave you to it," she replied.  
"You don't have to go," he said, still petting the bird. He was very gentle with it.  
"I'm tired anyway. I'll see you tomorrow." she did her best to smile as she left.  
"Always so sad," he said again but this time she wasn't sure if he was talking to her or himself. She walked back down to the dungeons and through the common room, ignoring the other students still jostling and rowing over the remaining sweets, heading up to her room. She grabbed her little bag of toiletries and went through to the bathroom for a long shower before getting into her pyjamas and settling into bed with her hangings closed around her.  
 _He must think I'm so weak,_ she thought bitterly. She knew she had to toughen up in order to get through seven years in the company of her fellow Slytherins. ******When she got up the next morning the common room was practically buzzing with the news of what happened with the troll. Some people looked up at her as she passed, staring and she was glad that the scar on her cheek had faded even more during the night and was barely visible anymore. She stopped when she overheard a small knot of students chattering about the night before a little louder than the rest. One voice in particular carrying over the rest, making her grind her teeth in anger.** **"** **Well I suppose it was a case of survival of the fittest. It's really unsporting to interfere with nature like that. The troll was clearly just doing what was right by going after granger like that." Said Draco and the little crowd that sat on the edges of their seats to listen voiced their agreement loudly.** **"** **Prince was there wasn't she? Why would get involved?" A sixth year she hadn't yet learned the name of said, looking suspicious at the motives of a Slytherin who would dare to help another student, especially a muggle born. Draco answered her question before Amy could get close enough to reply without shouting.** **"** **Prince was there; in fact she saw the whole thing and didn't get involved." He said. Coming from him in that tone and by the way most of the others were nodding it seemed that everyone took that to be a good thing.**

 **Draco noticed her standing there then and nodded, smiling in greeting. She didn't return the sentiment, too angry. Instead she left, wishing she hadn't overheard any of it. Dumbledore wanted her to fit in with these people? She needed to have another word with the headmaster on that score.**


	7. Chapter 7

**Chapter 7**

From Halloween on, Amy spent more and more time with Harry, Ron and Hermione. She had never been happier, even if they suspected her uncle of trying to get past a three headed dog. They had informed her that they had met the terrifying creature whilst running from Filch after curfew. They also told her the reason they were out after hours and it added fuel to her annoyance with Draco, who remained unaware as to the reason why she would be ignoring him lately. She had received a few looks from the headmaster lately at meal times but so far had pretended not to notice.

Snape wasn't happy with who she was hanging around with either and expressed his feelings through narrowed eyes when he saw them together. The others believed that it was their potions master who was behind all of the strange goings on. They were sure that it was he who had compromised Harry's broom and that he had let the troll in at Halloween in order to distract everyone while he tried to steal whatever was under that trap door and that was why his leg had been bleeding. She still couldn't see it though and voiced this readily until Ron, ever the tactful gentleman said;

"That's 'cause you're a Slytherin. Plus he's your uncle. You would think that." This had led to a very long bickering session between Ron and Hermione, who jumped to her defence immediately.

Through her friendship with the Gryffindors she had also been spending more time with Hagrid the huge groundskeeper and was pleasantly surprised to find that he was a big softie. She soon learned, however through experience to stay well away from his cooking. Another good thing came from this also as they soon learned from him that not only was the three headed dog his pet, but the whole secretive affair had something to do with a wizard named Nicholas Flamel. All they had to do now was figure out whom that was, a more difficult feat than it sounded.

She didn't speak to Draco at all over the next few weeks and had taken to sitting with her new friends in every class they were with the Gryffindors, apart from potions, when she had to sit with him. She often saw him looking at her out of the corner of her eye but ignored him until he confronted her in the common room one evening when she had come in after a long study session with Hermione.

"So," He said, standing in her way, "You're hanging out with Potter now, are you?" his face wrinkled in disgust and jealousy as he said the name.

"So?" She replied, defiant.

"So...they're Gryffindor."

"And?" She asked.

"It's wrong, it's not natural. You're turning your back on your own house. He..." He stopped suddenly as if rethinking what he was going to say. "It's just wrong. Blood traitors and mud bloods and _Potter_ are not fitting company for a Slytherin." He concluded.

His face was harsh but his eyes were pleading. People were watching now. A group had gathered behind him and he didn't look as comfortable as he normally did, surrounded by people hanging on his every word.

"Then neither am I," She said and she saw a change in him, as though something closed over behind his liquid silver eyes. The crowd were waiting for him to say something. He seemed to realise this at the same time she did.

"Fine. I get it. You've joined Potter's fan club." He sneered at her "You don't belong here, Amy. Why don't you just leave? We don't want you here." The words cut her like a whip. True or not, it still hurt. She left, turning her back on the group of Slytherins sneering at her, knowing it was too late to be in the corridors but not caring.

She walked through the halls with a blind determination. Not knowing where she was going. Surprisingly, she didn't run into Filch. She didn't think much of it at the time, but the amount of noise she was making as she stomped angrily through the deserted and silent halls should have drawn some attention.

Finally, she began to calm down and took note of where she was. She was at one end of a particularly dark corridor, and she felt a strange wave of longing come over her. She felt mysteriously drawn to a door at the other end of the hall. At first she tried to walk away, not trusting it, but the call was too strong and she felt the need to find out what was behind the door.

She was however, more conscious of the sound of her footsteps echoing on the floor as she moved as stealthily as she could. She also took her wand out and held it in front of her, trawling her mind for the best hexes to use if she ran into trouble.

Reaching the door, she pushed it open slowly and glanced around the room. She walked in further, disappointed.

There was nothing present apart from a dusty old mirror. She kept her wand held firmly in her hand and approached the large mirror, only to drop it a moment later. She didn't even hear it hit the floor. She was looking at her reflection, only she wasn't alone any more.

Standing on either side of her were a man and woman she had never seen before but instantly recognised. The woman, whose hand rested on her own reflections shoulder, had long dark red hair in the same shade as her own and eyes that matched hers. The man had black hair and glasses. She could see a little of herself in the way he held himself and the shape of his nose.

"Mum? Dad?"

Her parents nodded and smiled down at her with love in their eyes. She felt tears rolling down her cheeks but didn't brush them away, afraid that even the slightest movement might shatter the illusion.

As happy as she was, gazing up at them she couldn't help but feel that there was something missing, that same gaping hole that had always been there was still letting her know of its existence with its dull throb. She looked at the empty space beside her reflection, in front of her father, and the wound throbbed even worse than before. Something was definitely wrong with the picture. She sniffed, feeling as though she had been kicked in the stomach. She vowed silently to herself that Lord Voldemort wouldn't know what hit him if he ever did return. She was going to be the best and most accomplished witch she could be. She would kill him for good. She would be ready and waiting to take him down. He had taken everything from her and she wanted to scream at the top of her lungs to express her grief.

After a few minutes or hours, she wasn't sure, she picked up her wand, took a step back, and then another, until she was back at the door. She turned to walk out into the hallway, and nearly walked into Albus Dumbledore.

"It was a test wasn't It." She said.

"You worked out what the mirror does, I assume." He replied. Not answering her question as he began walking with her back towards the entrance hall.

"Yes. It shows you what you want most. I want my family…"

He smiled at her sadly. She told him of her renewed desire for revenge and his expression became a little more serious.

"I'm afraid that the only way to ensure your victory on that score is to become closer with your housemates and distance yourself from your Gryffindor counterparts."

This was not unexpected but it still hurt. She didn't want to stop hanging out with her new friends. Everything had been going so well lately. She had been happy.

"I need more time." She pleaded, thinking he might admonish her, but he only smiled again sadly.

"It is entirely your decision miss Prince." They were at the door to her common room now and he turned to her. "I am not going to tell you what to do in this situation, though if I may I would suggest that you take your time to decide what it is that you want." This made her think again of the mirror and the reflection within it.

"Goodnight Amy" He said and left, humming to himself as he walked back up towards the entrance hall.

 ** _I know Harry doesn't see the mirror of Erised until after Christmas, but I thought Id put it in that Amy came across it first. I figured Dumbledore was testing Harry with it, so why not Amy?_**

 ** _Read and review please people. I'd love some feedback on the new direction ;) Aoife._**


	8. Chapter 8

**Chapter 8**

 **Disclaimer; same as previous.**

Christmas holidays brought snow and fun. Amy joined in with the boys and Ron's older brothers Fred and George in a fantastic snow ball fight that could only be described as intense. They pelted each other with the freezing powder balls for hours.

For the last few weeks leading up to the holidays she had left her dorm room before anyone else was awake and arrived back while the common room was almost empty. Her friends had been very helpful with this. George had shown her secret passageways, Hermione spent hours with her in the library and when she could, she sat with them for classes. Sometimes she still caught Dumbledore looking at her, but she just wasn't ready to take that leap away from her friends.

She couldn't help but be a little angry and somewhat resentful that he was making this even harder for her. She should be going home to her parents for the holidays, meeting them at Kings Cross, and hugging them, maybe even being a little embarrassed by their attentions in front of her friends. And they would traipse home together. Home was not a word she would use to describe the place she had grown up in, but it was one that she was beginning to think of as being the perfect word to describe the castle.

One good thing about the holidays was that she had free reign over the Slytherin common room. She no longer had to sneak into her own bed at night, like an intruder.

Christmas morning was wonderful. Amy woke to find presents at the end of her bed. She had a Christmas card from the orphanage, one that was given to everyone every year. She half smiled at the familiarity.  
 _Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year_ was already printed on it and the only writing said: _"To Amy, from the staff."_

 __She also had a parcel of rock cakes from Hagrid, chocolate frogs from Hermione and a package with writing on it that she didn't recognise. Instead of opening it, she grabbed the bundle and ran, in her pyjamas to Gryffindor Tower.

The fat lady swung open when she said the password and she went in to find Harry and Ron coming out of their dorm with Fred and George. They greeted each other and looked at each other's presents. She showed Harry the card from the orphanage and he told her of the fifty pence piece he had received from his aunt and uncle, giving her an insight into his neglected childhood. She had almost forgotten about the unopened present when Harry asked her what it was.

"Another one," groaned Ron, "that woman!"

Puzzled, Amy tore open the package to find a box of home-made fudge and a knitted jumper like the ones the Weasley's and Harry were wearing. Hers was green, though, and had a silver snake on the chest above a silver A. Ron looked very embarrassed and peeked out from underneath eyelashes and said in a small voice;

"I-I sort of mentioned in my last letter that you and Harry weren't expecting anything."

Fred and George were looking at him with amused expressions. This plus her teary eyed thank you only caused him to go redder.

That evening at the wonderful Christmas dinner she stared up at Dumbledore discreetly as he laughed, wearing a flowered bonnet. She was so full that her eyelids began to droop lazily. When they were told to go to bed, she was still awake enough to feel jealous of all her friends, who got to go up to their common room together, when she had to split up from them in the Entrance Hall and head down to a cold, lonely dungeon.

Harry was very worried about the upcoming match against Hufflepuff because it was announced that Snape would be refereeing. Amy still wasn't convinced that it was Snape they were up against but they were adamant that it was him. She went along with it, hoping to prove them wrong. For some reason, she just could not believe that it was him.

Soon after the Christmas holidays Hermione finally figured out the mystery behind Nicholas Flamel and they were at last aware of what fluffy was guarding. Finally they were getting somewhere!

She figured that after the match in which Harry's broom had been tampered with it made sense that one of the teachers was up there with the rest of them. She did agree on the point that he might have volunteered in order to take Gryffindor down a peg or two. And though he would surely be unfair as a referee, she was sure that her friend would be a bit safer up there.

After the match, Harry disappeared and later came back with a story even Amy found hard to argue with. He had seen Snape bullying Quirrell in the Forbidden Forest. After this, they regularly checked the third floor door to make sure that the three-headed dog was still guarding the trap door. They had so much homework that Amy got to see her friends less and less.

They had end of year exams to worry about, along with everything else. She spent more and more time in the library with studying as an excuse on top of avoiding certain Slytherins. Hermione was there too of course, but the poor girl was becoming very stressed about the upcoming exams, and so didn't talk very much at all. She slept and she revised.

Harry told her one day after lunch about Norbert the dragon. It was just one more problem to put on the already toppling, massive pile. The Slytherins did not have herbology with the Gryffindors, so Amy was late getting to Hagrid's hut to see the hatching. When she came close to the cabin, she stopped dead. Malfoy was looking in the window. Even as she saw him, he was running back up in her direction.

"Didn't let you in on this one did they?" He asked, as he came close.

"Guess they don't trust you," the smirk on his face was enraging.

"This will be fun. I'm going to get your hero expelled and that oaf fired." He smirked at her before running back up to the castle. She continued on to the hut to worry and strategise with the others.

Poor Draco looked ready to explode as they all stood before professor McGonagall, getting a terrible dressing down. At least Harry and Hermione had been able to hand over the dragon to Charlie's friends without a hitch before they had all been caught. Amy felt responsible as she had been standing at the bottom of the winding stairs as look out.

All had gone well until the other two had descended after their successful mission. That was when filch had grabbed them and dragged them to the Gryffindor heads office. She had caught Draco by then and he was unsuccessfully trying to convince her about the dragon. She believed none of it thankfully. There was nothing her could do without any proof after all and so he was furious.

Major points were taken and they had to suffer through a detention. With Neville caught as well it was worse for the Gryffindors and they were no longer in the lead the for house cup. She tried to console herself by reminding herself that it would have been much worse if they had been caught with a dragon stuffed in a crate.

The forest was extremely dark. Hagrid had them looking for wounded unicorns. They had split up; she was with Hagrid, Hermione and Neville were together and Harry was stuck with Draco and Fang (after a quick reshuffle when Draco had scared Neville nearly out of his wits.)

She and Hagrid searched, following tracks she couldn't see but Hagrid was sure of. Suddenly she felt a horrible pain piercing straight through her, blinding her, and she grabbed at her forehead in desperation. A scream was torn from her lips.

Hagrid swung around as she fell, panting with the pain. She didn't know how she knew, but she was sure somehow that the others were in trouble. She didn't realise that she had spoken out loud until she felt Hagrid pick her up easily and run with her.

They soon ran into Malfoy, who looked terrified, and Fang, who was tripping over himself in his haste to get to Hagrid. They went in the direction the two had come from and were soon met by a strange creature.

Firenze the centaur was carrying a pale Harry on his back. Thankfully, he didn't look hurt. Amy was so relieved to see him. She didn't remember fainting, but woke to Hagrid carrying her into the hospital wing.

"WH-what happened?" she asked.

"Shh," he soothed her, "Yer gonna be just fine. Don' worry abou' a thing. You've jus' gotta sleep 'ere tonight an' Madam Pomfrey's gonna take a look at yeh." He left her down on a soft bed and a strict looking woman closed the hospital blinds around her.

"What happened?" the nurse asked Hagrid sharply.

"She fainted in the forbidden forest," He replied.

"I wouldn't blame the poor dear," said Madam Pomfrey and Amy felt embarrassed and agitated. She hadn't simply fainted. Remembering the pain, she closed her eyes and fell into a sleep plagued by nightmares of slithering cloaks and green lights.

When she awoke she instinctively knew she was not alone. Looking sideways, she saw the kindly headmaster smiling at her.

"Did you sleep well?" he asked.

."Not really," She replied a bit shyly, feeling as though his eyes were peering into her soul.

"Nightmares?" he asked. She nodded.

"One can learn a lot from dreams and nightmares," He said. She didn't reply and he lapsed into a thoughtful silence.

"Professor?" she said, "What happened to Harry in the forest?"

"From speaking to a friend of mine I have gathered that what I have long feared has come to pass." Slightly frustrated by his cryptic answer she asked;

"And what is that?"

"Lord Voldemort has returned and last night, Harry saw him and he saw Harry."

"So what happened to me?" she enquired.

"Hagrid told me that you fell in pain before fainting. I can only attribute this to some sort of intuition as to Voldemorts presence."

It was a weak answer. She was sure that he knew much more than he was letting on. She wanted the full story, but instinctively knew that it was futile to try and get it out of him. It was so frustrating she could have growled.

I think it would be best if you did not mention to anyone the reason of your fainting. Make up one, perhaps you fell and hit your head?" She agreed without speaking and for a moment he looked sad.

"Also I would ask again that you think more about spending time with your fellow Slytherins? Try to make alliances; it will be worth it in the end, I think..." And he left as mysterious as ever.

She glared up at the ceiling. Why was it so important that she blindly follow his instructions? She made a silent promise to herself to corner him someday and insist on more information. Then her anger faded to be replaced by fear at his announcement that Voldemort had returned. Everything else paled in comparison to this news.

Madam Pomfrey told her she could leave if she wished, so she got up and got dressed. She was a little early for breakfast but went into the hall anyway. There wasn't anyone there, so she sat alone at the Slytherin table, waiting. She was lost in thought.

Could it be possible that Snape was after the stone? She didn't know why, but it just didn't fit right. And what was she going to do about Dumbledore's advice? She couldn't relate to anyone from the Slytherin house. On top of all this, she still had stabbing pains in her forehead. A muffled cough from beside her broke her train of thought and she looked up to see that the hall was beginning to fill and people were already eating. She hadn't even noticed the tables had filled with food or the fact that she was no longer sitting alone.

Draco had sat beside her while she was lost in thought. He was staring at her with an odd expression. Was it pity or worry? She wasn't sure if she wanted to know.

"Are you all right?" he asked, looking as surprised as she felt at how soft his voice had come out as he asked. She looked up at him quickly.

"I'm fine," she said a little defensively, and then; "What do you want?" He looked a little angry for a moment at her rude reply but then he took a deep breath and his features were again as soft as before.

"What happened last night?" he asked in a whisper. She began to fidget and though carefully before answering. She supposed that Dumbledore's explanation was as good as any.

"I fell and hit my head. Hagrid picked me up. Hilarious I know." He didn't believe her.

"Yeah, right," He said. "I saw how scared you looked." She almost snapped that he looked as though he might wet himself when Hagrid had come across him and the cowardly dog but held back as he reached across her and grabbed a muffin from one of the platters before placing it on her empty plate and telling her she should eat. He didn't continue with his inquisition and she was glad of the reprieve.

They ate together in silence before heading to the common room together to grab their things for a last bit of study before the exams began. As she passed the Gryffindor table on their way out her stomach dropped a little at the disbelief and suspicion on her friends faces. All apart from Hermione who looked frazzled as she practically ate her study notes. Ron practically glared at her, turning in his seat to watch them leave. Was this what it was going to be like if she did as the headmaster bid?


	9. Chapter 9

**Chapter 9**

 **Disclaimer; same as previous**

History of magic was the last exam for the first years. Amy finished in record time, laying down her quill before reading over her answers one final time. She had always loved history, especially old customs of the earliest of civilisations.

Even professor Binn's boring monologue throughout the year had not been enough to dampen her enthusiasm for the subject. Amy looked around at the other students covertly; Hermione was writing furiously still (it was surprising there were no sparks flying from her quill.) on her other side, Ron sat looking lost, his eyes roving up and down the question parchment as though he were searching for one word of English in a sea of Gobbledygook.

Harry didn't look much more confidant as he held his hand up for his answer parchment to be taken. It wasn't until he left that she noticed Draco, sitting a few seats away, looking supremely sure of himself as he laid down his quill. His eyes met hers as though he had felt her staring and she looked down quickly before raising her own hand to indicate she was finished.

Amy looked for Harry when she got outside. He was walking towards the lake, his hair making him unmistakable. She followed him and when he sat on the dry grass under the hot sun she followed suit.

"What did you think?" she asked.

"It was really hard I thought, made up a good bit as I went along." He answered. They laughed at his description of what he had wrote for the questions on the goblin wars and then relaxed for the last twenty minutes under the blazing sun waiting for Ron and Hermione to join them.

When they did, Ron didn't wait long before asking what Malfoy had wanted the other day. Amy sighed knowing it had been bothering the other red head ever since. They hadn't really had the chance to chat since then because of the crazy revision schedule Hermione had had them all on.

"He wanted to know why I had fainted. He was actually quite civil." She said. It wasn't a lie. Malfoy had indeed been civil to her lately. He had even asked her to quiz him the night before, and had done the same for her. She wasn't about to tell Ron that of course. He might faint himself. As it was he snorted.

"Malfoy, civil! Anyway why did you faint? Hermione said she heard you scream. Did you really just fall?" Hermione looked abashed as he said this. So they had been discussing it behind her back? Amy felt defensive.

"Yes I fell. I tripped over a tree root and hit my head on a rock hard enough to have to stay in the hospital wing for the night. Are you accusing me of lying? Don't you all trust me?" She searched their faces. Hermione looked panicked

"No, Amy of course we trust you!" Ron was going pink, muttering an apology and Harry looked as embarrassed as the other two. She glared out at the lake for a few moments, the group lapping into an uncomfortable silence.

After a while she broke the tension by declaring that she would love some ice-cream. The others agreed and some of the tension fizzled a little. Harry mentioned that he would kill for a knicker bocker glory, saying that the last time he had had one it was the left over's of his cousin's last summer, who had screamed for a bigger one and had of course received what he wanted as per usual.

Their laughter at his description of just how big and mollycoddled his cousin was, was interrupted when Harry suddenly sat up straight and pointed over at her with wide eyes;

"You were at the zoo!" He exclaimed. "I knew I had seen you somewhere before Hogwarts! You were there that day, sitting outside the reptile house."

She laughed as it finally clicked. "I remember now. That woman, I suppose she must have been your aunt screeched at me. And your uncle was dragging you by the ear."

He nodded, cringing a little at the not-so-fond memory.

"You weren't exaggerating about the size of your cousin." She observed. He nodded again and would have said more when Ron barked in laughter;

"What the bloody hell is a zoo?"

A long discussion followed about zoos. Ron came to the conclusion that they sounded barbaric, a term Hermione heartily agreed with. Discussion soon wound back to the stone and fluffy and suddenly Harry was up walking swiftly towards Hagrid's cabin.

After questioning Hagrid they ran back to the school. They ran into McGonagall in the entrance hall while they were trying to figure out where Dumbledore's office was. She informed them that he was gone.

Harry was sure it was going to happen that night. Just as he said it, Snape appeared. He threatened Harry about night time wanderings, which seemed a bit uncanny, and left in the direction of the staff room. Before he turned to leave, though, he looked at her with his dark eyes and a voice whispered not in her ear but in her mind;

 _Be careful._ Amy said nothing of this to the others, but remained thoroughly creeped out. She wondered if he had read their minds as easily as he had whispered into hers.

They went to dinner, splitting up and promising to meet up outside Fluffy's door that night. Amy waited in the common room. Watching as it slowly emptied. She thought of how difficult it would be to sneak through the halls without Harry's invisibility cloak.

When the common room was finally empty she got up and went over to the door. She took a deep breath. _Here goes nothing._

This was her lucky night. She didn't run into any obstacles. There was no sign of Filch or Mrs. Norris. She found the others standing outside the door, which was open. Harry took out Hagrid's flute and they went in.

 ** _Draco's point of view_**

 _He watched her leave the common room. He had come back for his quill and there she was, going out the door. He followed as she snuck up the steps of the Entrance Hall. He was intrigued. Where could she be going? He stopped and waited in the shadows._

 _She was going to the third floor corridor, the forbidden part of the castle. He had wondered why they weren't allowed there. His eyes followed her long flame of dark red hair._

 _She fascinated him, she wasn't like other girls; there was something about her, something she was hiding. She was a puzzle to him. No, there was more to it than that, but he did want to figure her out. He was brought crashing back to earth as he looked beyond her and saw_ _him;_ _Potter._

 _The anger surged in him but he squashed it. The Potter squad went through a door. He faintly heard music. He crept over to the door and after a few moments looked in. They were gone, and towering just inside the door was a huge three-headed dog._

 _He decided to wait outside._

 _He paced back and forth impatiently in front of the mysterious door, every now and again hearing the low growls of the monstrous dog. What was going on? Where had Potter and his fan-club gone? There would be war if something had happened to Prince; he swore it._

 _When the door swung open he jumped back and quickly hid behind a tapestry, startled. The know-it-all mud blood and weaslebee rushed out; the red head looking no more scruffy and unkempt than usual in Draco's opinion, and the usually prim and proper muggle born looking crazed and worried. They hurried off to god knows where. He stayed, waiting for Amy._

 _He heard footsteps approaching minutes later and hid again, watching with wide eyes as Dumbledore himself rushed up the hall and into the room. He was absolutely intrigued! When he finally returned he saw that the old man had Potter and Prince levitating in front of him. Both looked to be unconscious and he followed at a great distance as they made their way through the castle to the hospital wing._

 _It was a perfectly normal occurrence for a head of house to visit a pupil in the hospital wing, but for that head of house to be Snape, to visit in the very early hours of the morning and to look at his pupil with an expression that Draco, quite frankly, had never expected to see on the visage of the potions teacher was absurd, unbelievable. And yet he, Draco had been witness to it._

 _He stayed there until she fell asleep again. Even in her sleep she looked unhappy._

 **Amy's point of view**

"I'm telling you Harry, I just don't think its Snape." She said for what felt like the hundredth time.

"I just know it is, Amy," he said. They had gotten through the devils snare and had come out of the room with the flying keys. The chess game was over and Ron was unconscious. Hermione wanted to run to him but Amy insisted they go on. She knew it was the right thing to do.

Remembering why they were there, a new sense of purpose enveloped her. They stepped over the unconscious troll and Hermione excelled in the potion room. Harry asked the two of them to go back. They refused but then he reminded them of Ron. This got Hermione's attention and she left, but Amy didn't budge.

"Amy, go back."

"I'm not going, Harry."

"I'm serious Amy; I have to stop him before it's too late."

"I'm coming, too"

"No you're not its too dangerous-," she cut him off;

"He killed my parents, too!" She almost screamed. It felt so good to say it out loud. Harry was shocked.

"Let's go" was all he could say.

They took the potion which was like ice running through their bodies and walked through the black flames. She felt nothing walking through the flames and felt no triumph that it wasn't Snape in the last chamber.

Quirrell stood looking into the mirror of Erised, which stood in the middle of the cavernous room. He turned, hearing their approach. There was a horrible high pitched laugh. Where was the voice coming from? Quirrell raised his wand, pointing at Amy.

"We only need one." He said. As he began to flourish his wand the high pitched voice spoke, making him pause.

"Wait, Quirrell, the girl may yet come in useful, one way or another. He offered the two students a place by his side. A chance to serve him. They refused the offer. Voldemort became angry.

At his instruction, Quirrell bound them both with a spell. Invisible ropes tightened around her and she fell to the ground. Before hitting the marble tiled floor, Amy's head cracked against one of the thick pillars that decorated the strange room. Her vision became blurry. Concentrating on the pain caused by Voldemorts presence, Amy desperately held on to consciousness.

Looking up she realised that Harry was standing before the mirror. He told Quirrell he saw himself as head boy, a blatant and badly told lie. His hand rested briefly on his trouser pocket and she knew that the stone was there somehow.

 _"He lies"_ hissed Voldemort.

Quirrell began to undo his turban and Amy realised, horrified, where Voldemorts voice was emanating from. With Quirrells attention on Harry, the invisible bonds holding her loosened considerably until she was able to take her wand out of her pocket.

Voldemort was speaking, Quirrell was rushing at Harry, his arms outstretched and ready to strangle. Amy undid her bonds with a muttered spell and got up, her head spinning dangerously. Then she saw Voldemort's protruding face. Fighting back the darkness that ate at her vision, and the urge to vomit that clawed at her insides, Amy ran towards Quirrell, but stopped short as he backed away screaming, his arm and face crumbling to ash. Voldemorts voice rang out inside her mind.

"I see potential in you, Amy _Prince_." Before his spirit abandoned Quirrells lifeless form, the spirit passed through Harry, knocking him over, and then through her. She fell, feeling the cool marble of the floor against her cheek; she let the darkness take her finally.

The ceiling of the hospital wing swam before her eyes for a few moments before she realised where she was. She tried to turn her head and nearly blacked out again with the pain. It was night time and it was very quiet. She could hear the deep breathing of someone sleeping not too far away and wondered who it could be. Was it Harry? Was he ok?

The swish of a cloak made her jump into a sitting position in the bed. This sent waves of pain all around her body. She yelped quietly and whimpered. When her vision cleared she looked around the room. The neatly dressed beds and pristine surfaces were the same as her last visit.

The deep breathing was coming from a few beds down where she could see a mop of messy black hair sticking out of the bedclothes. Relief flooded through her every pore. At least he was still alive.

Looking around again, she tried to distinguish shapes in the gloom of the faintly-lit room. She was sure she wasn't alone. Suddenly she heard it again, to her left. Painfully, she jerked her head accordingly, expecting to be met with twinkling blue eyes, but there was no one. Slowly, she lowered her body down onto the bed again and let the healing darkness take over once more.


	10. Chapter 10

**Chapter 10**

 ** _Book 2_**

 _Dear Harry,_

 _I'm sorry to have to explain this in a letter rather than in person, but it cannot wait. I have been thinking about this for a while now and it's been playing on my conscience._

 _I cannot, in my right mind, go on pretending that we have anything in common. I am a Slytherin after all, and that comes with certain expectations of me and the choices I make, including who I am friends with._

 _I think it has become obvious that my time would be better spent with those of my own kind._

 _Goodbye_

 _Amy._

She did her best not to let any tears drop onto the pages as she wrote the letters one by one, first to Harry, then Ron and then Hermione, hating herself for the words she put down on the page.

She had turned down her friend's offer of sitting with them on the train as they left Hogsmede station. She had been ignoring them since getting out of the hospital wing the night before Harry had been released. The night before the end of year feast.

They had all tried to make eye contact with her as Dumbledore gave his speech. She ignored them. Instead she groaned with the rest of their house as the headmaster gave out points to Gryffindor. He left her out of course, not mentioning her involvement, but one Slytherin knew where she had been that night.

Draco had been very curious as she had stumbled into the common room the night before and she had given him the rehearsed story she had gone over with the headmaster when she had finally agreed to distance herself from her friends, and he had in turn informed her that Draco had followed her to the corridor on the third floor and had witnessed them each leave.

She was vague with the details of what had happened and down played her involvement, making it sound as though she had just been hanging on for the ride, going along with the others as though they had mislead her in some way. It felt horrible to speak about them in such away.

She had also told the curious boy that she wanted nothing more to do with the nosy Gryffindors and couldn't stand to be around them anymore, what with their penchant for getting her into trouble and their lack of priorities and taste.

As heart broken as she was, she knew it had to be done. Voldemort knew who she was. She was officially a spy now. Her occlumency lessons were to begin the following semester with Dumbledore himself, and he had promised to give her more information.

So she had spent her train journey back to King's cross station in a compartment full of Slytherins. And when they had arrived at their destination she hurriedly heaved her trunk and owl cage onto one of the waiting trolleys, said goodbye to Draco, who had just spotted his parents in the distance and went straight through the barrier out into the muggle world.

And now, a week later she sat at her rickety little table in her shabby little room at Wool's orphanage and wrote the horrible letters that would sever the last ties she had with her three favourite Gryffindors. She waited for the ink on the three nearly identical pieces of parchment to dry and then rolled them up individually before tying them to Winnie's outstretched leg and instructed her not to wait for a reply from any of them.

As if sensing her sadness, the little owl hooted softly and pecked at her hair gently before soaring out the open window. There was no going back now. She curled up in a ball on her bed and cried her broken heart out.


	11. Chapter 11

**Chapter 11**

 **Disclaimer; same as previous**

The summer spent at the orphanage was the same as any other she had experienced in one way, but completely different in another as that had been when she hadn't known what she was missing. She did now and that made it lonelier than usual.

She was in the good books with the matron as her behaviour had never been better. She hadn't been in this position since she was four. This was because she put a lot more effort into her chores, trying to forget the letters she had sent just a few weeks ago.

Try as she might she couldn't get the hurt and angry replies from the people she cared for out of her mind. So she threw herself into her chores, and into her summer homework, which she finished in record time. She knew her old textbooks from front to back, along with any extra books she had or found lying around.

Every now and again she snuck out, but the matron was unaware of this. She walked aimlessly around shopping centres, stole into concerts and wandered around the busy city. She even went to the zoo once, but that only brought her memories she would have to block out.

The reptile house was dark and warm, most of the inhabitants were dozing when she had walked in. the closest snake, a rattle snake, caught her attention. It looked back at her as she stood before it.

"Hello" no reply. _Why would it you lunatic,_ _she told herself._ Recalling her last visit to the zoo she tried again, looking the snake dead in the eye she repeated her greeting. To her utter amazement the snake had bowed its head in reply and winked. _Not a complete lunatic after all!_

Sitting on her bed, Amy turned over the bland birthday card she had received from "the staff" once more. It had done nothing to raise her spirits. She was used to birthdays like this. What had she been expecting? She thought of Harry whose birthday would be in a couple of weeks and imagined him receiving presents and meaningful cards.

Suddenly, two owls swooped in through the open window. They jostled each other in order to give their package first. She took both from them and they swooped out. First the handsome eagle owl and then the owl she had recognised immediately as being from the school. She jumped as another school owl swooped in and landed gracefully as it could, owing to the fact that it carried a large, heavy-looking, rumpled package. It too, left as she took its cargo.

Curious, she opened the first letter. It was, of course, her school booklist. She was surprised to find that most of the books on the list were written by the same author; Gilderoy Lockheart.

As she read the second letter she couldn't help but smile. It was the one delivered by the handsome eagle owl.

 _Dear Amy,_

 _I'm writing to you to wish you a Happy Birthday._

 _I hope you like the gift, though it is only a small trinket really._

 _I am looking forward to seeing you on the first of September, though I wonder if it would be possible for us to meet up in Diagon alley to purchase our school things together on the 30_ _th_ _of August._

 _Hoping you are well,_

 _Draco Malfoy._

Enclosed in the envelope was a small velvet pouch. Opening it she discovered a silver chain within. She examined the charm attached to find that it was a snake. The tiny silver serpent had a green stone for an eye. It was beautiful and obviously expensive. She hadn't expected birthday wishes from anyone, let alone Malfoy. Maybe this year at Hogwarts wouldn't be as bad as she had thought it would be.

She opened the last envelope after putting on the necklace, arranging the delicate charm that gleamed in the little dip of her collar bone carefully

 _Dear miss Prince,_

 _I hope you are having a pleasant summer._

 _My present will, I hope, be a useful one. I have not forgotten that we shall be spending some evening's together working through your extra studies. Hopefully this shall give you a base upon which we shall build._

 _My best wishes on your birthday,_

 _Albus Percival Wulfric Brian Dumbledore._

She practically ripped the shiny red paper off the big, oddly shaped parcel that the last letter had been attached to and gazed down at the two items within; the first was a very old book titled; Guide to Advanced Occlumency by Maxwell Barnett, and the second a chocolate frog.

She opened the second first, catching and biting the head off the delicious chocolate frog before it could escape and reading the card within, which had a picture and description of Merlin. She then wrote a thank you letter to the headmaster, expressing how much she was looking forward to the Occlumency lessons and then took out another sheaf of parchment, thinking carefully about her words before writing;

 _Dear Draco,_

 _Thank you for the kind wishes and the present. It really is beautiful. I love it._

 _I'm looking forward to seeing you. I can't wait to be free of this place for another school year,_

 _It would be nice to do our shopping together. Shall I meet you in the leaky cauldron?_

 _Amy_

She sent her owl off with both letters and got ready for bed before getting under the covers and opening her new book to the first page.

 ** _Ron's point of view_**

 _"I don't believe it! Harry, look! Look who Draco's with!" Ron had looked out the window of the apothecary only to have seen Draco Malfoy strolling around with none other than Amy Prince! He ran over to Harry and dragged him to the dusty window._

 _"I guess we know now what she meant by her own kind," He said bitterly, glaring out at the two Slytherins._

 _"Ron," Harry said, "Do you really believe what she said in her letters?"_

 _"Of course I do! Don't you? All that crap she wrote seemed real enough to me."_

 _"Crap, yeah. Maybe it was all crap. I don't know about you, Ron, but I don't think she meant any of that stuff. I think..."_

 _"What? What do you think?" Ron asked sceptically._

 _"I think she was scared of something. What if she said all of that because something, or someone, made her?"_

 _"What?" laughed Ron, "Do you think Malfoys put a spell on her or something? Hah! She said what she said because she's a Slytherin. It's like I've said from the very beginning. You just can't trust them."_

 _"Maybe," said Harry. Ron went back to looking at all the foul ingredients lined up on shelves around the poky room. Secretly, he hoped he was wrong._

 **Amy's point of view**

Amy waited for Draco in the inn on the morning of the 30th of August. She had gotten there early because she couldn't wait to prove to herself that the last year was not a dream or a hallucination.

When he walked in, she was surprised at how tall he had gotten. They made their way over, Draco with an air of veiled excitement, his father with disinterest.

"Amy," said Draco, "you remember father?" He said formally once she had stood to greet them.

"Of Course, it's nice to see you again Mr Malfoy." She said politely.

"Charmed Miss Prince." said Lucius, looking her up and down. He turned to hi son.

"Shall we?" Draco nodded and they left.

Mr. Malfoy left soon them to go down a side street and Draco seemed to relax slightly.

"So, where would you like to go first?" He asked.

"Gringotts?" She replied, as they walked by the apothecary.

After they went to Gringotts, where Amy went in as Draco already had his gold, they went into Madam Malkin's for Draco's new robes. (He really had become quite tall over the summer.) They then called into Flourish and Blotts. The shop was full to bursting point.

Gilderoy Lockheart, the man who had wrote most of their school books for the year was signing his works. Amy grabbed everything she needed while Draco went to the further bookshelves, looking for something in particular. Instead of waiting in line to get her books signed, Amy went straight up to pay and hurried to find Draco.

"I have to get out of here. The noise is awful. I'll meet you across the street?" Draco agreed and she left. She went over to the broom shop across the road where a couple of young boys were gawking in the window. She stood on her tippy toes to see what they were staring at.

It was beautiful; sleek, shiny, black and silver, the nimbus two-thousand and one. She just had to have one.

Dreamily, Amy walked into the shop and up to the counter. She put down her shopping and turned as the door opened behind her. Mr. Malfoy nodded to her and she returned his nod greeting with a small smile and turned back to the shopkeeper, who asked her how he could be of assistance.

"Could I see the new nimbus please?"

"Of course," He said, going to the window and taking the broom from its mantle, "Do you play Quidditch, miss?" He asked her, making conversation.

"I've never played, but I would like to." She replied. She had excelled in her flying training at Hogwarts. Madam Hooch had praised her balance.

Just then there was a resounding bang coming from the shop next door and the shopkeeper ducked. Items flew off shelves and Amy jumped onto the broom and managed to catch most of them; two broom handles, a tin of polish and a round red ball Amy recognized as a quaffle.

The dust settled and the shaken shopkeeper appeared from behind the counter again.

"Impressive." Came a silky voice from behind her. Lucius Malfoy didn't look like a man who was easily impressed.

"I wish to place an order for seven of these," He said to the shopkeeper with an air of authority, "Including one for Miss Prince."  
"Mr. Malfoy, I really couldn't accept..."

"It's nothing," He said, cutting her off.

Outside the shop next door there was a slight commotion. Seamus Finnegan was standing there, looking startled. His face was black with soot. Amy suddenly knew what had happened. She suppressed a giggle as she overheard him say to Dean Thomas;

"For Merlin's sake! My eyebrows only just grew back! How could that have happened when all I did was drop it?"

Mr. Malfoy went to join Draco in Flourish and Blotts. Amy walked to the ice-cream parlour to wait. She couldn't believe she was getting a broom! She was really happy for what felt like a long time.

When the Malfoys appeared again Amy was surprised at what she saw. They looked as though they had been in a fight.

"What happened?" She asked, shocked by their dishevelled appearances. Lucius didn't answer but kept walking. He called to Draco over his shoulder that they were leaving.

"Yes, father," Draco said, before turning back to her.  
"Potter really does love himself. He got himself a new buddy today."

"What?" She asked, immensely confused.

"Never mind," He replied. He was absolutely seething about something.

"We're going. Come on."

She followed him down the long alley towards the brick wall that was the exit. Anger was coming off of him in boiling waves. She thought better than to say anything at that moment. But she was incredibly curious as to what it had to do with Harry.

She headed back to the orphanage by taxi after a brief goodbye to the Malfoy's and, once there, packed her trunk with all her new school things, dumping out the rubbish and old things that had built up over the past term.

The train ride to Hogwarts seemed to take forever. Amy sat with Draco, Crabbe and Goyle. She had noticed that Crabbe didn't like her very much. He glared at her a lot. Draco didn't seem to notice, though. He didn't notice much about his cronies.

She had gotten into the compartment when it was empty and didn't really expect anyone to interrupt her solitude. But Draco had. After trying to start a conversation a few times he gave up and went for a walk with his bodyguards. Amy supposed they were off to bully the new first years.

She was quiet and subdues because she was worried. While getting on the train she noticed Hermione sitting alone. She had suppressed the strong urge to ask her where the other two were.

There was still no sign of them as she watched Ron's parents say goodbye to the rest of their children and stand looking up and down the train. They looked worried too, she had noticed. Her stomach dropped when the train's whistle had blown.

As soon as the three boys had left, she took out parchment and a quill from her trunk and wrote a quick note.

 _Dear Sir,_

 _Harry and Ron not on train._

 _Amy._

She rolled it up and took Winnie from her cage. The owl swooped gracefully out the window.

The ride up to the castle was tense. She almost fell out of the invisibly drawn carriage as it pulled up at the large front doors. Running through the crowds of fellow pupils, she barely heard the complaints and shouts as she nearly knocked a few fifth years down.

Amy was one of the first to reach the Great Hall. Dumbledore was seated in his usual throne-like chair, along with the other students. Hagrid hadn't returned yet from bringing the new first years across the lake. She caught the headmaster's eye and he held her gaze for a moment then broke it and nodded to Snape who was also looking at him. Her uncle got up and walked out a side door next to the long teachers table.

Dumbledore looked back towards Amy and if her eyes had not fooled her, gave her a slight wink. She walked to the Slytherin table and sat in her usual seat, next to Draco. She spent the rest of the feast watching the door, waiting for Harry to come through it. He didn't. Hermione looked as worried as she felt.

It was a horrible feeling to have to sit in the middle of a pack of sneering Slytherins in Potions class, as they sniggered while Snape tormented various Gryffindors, particularly Harry and, to a lesser extent, Neville.

She was miserable. Her friends hated her. This self-sacrificing thing was definitely hard. It was driving her mad. She was becoming even more of a bookworm and spent most of her spare time in the library, reading, while avoiding Hermione. Amy had always liked to read, the intricate plots of her favourite books had provided her with an escape from her mundane existence in the orphanage. The matron had strongly approved of her hobby and encouraged it by taking her to the local library to become a member.

That one small, happy memory of entering the big, quiet building for the first time mixed with the terrible loneliness she felt brought a tear to her eye. As it rolled silently down her cheek she looked up to find that three people were watching her, with three different reactions; Draco, staring with worry, his face paler than usual, Snape, his black eyes on hers like dark tunnels leading the way to a terrible and ancient pain and Harry, his green eyes bright with interest behind his round framed glasses.

Amy locked eyes with Snape and for a moment she couldn't look away, until he broke the gaze, seeming slightly out of breath...He soon went back to his taunting, but with less commitment than before. _How embarrassing_. She was just glad more people hadn't noticed. She swiftly wiped away the solitary traitor from her cheek and looked down at her notes. She felt her cheeks flushing red.

 ** _Snape's point of view_**

 _The poignant memory he had seen through her eyes had been very moving. Dumbledore obviously hadn't taught her occlumency yet, as he had promised him he would. It was too easy to break into her thoughts. They drew him in._

 _He delved deeper; she was an outcast just like him. She had done exceptionally well in almost every test she had ever taken. He saw the other children tease her and it made him surprisingly angry. He saw her hiding from the other orphans and reading her books in her room. He saw her; much younger, chatting to a snake in a sunny patch of grass .She was a parseltongue? That was unusual...but not impossible._

 _The Dark Lord was the only one Snape had known of, except for Slytherin himself. Dumbledore would find that very interesting. At last, after seeing her in a broom shop, catching an array of falling objects, he drew away out of her mind. There was so much sadness; too much for any twelve year old to have to bear. He attempted to focus on the lesson, but he knew his taunting of the Gryffindors was weaker than before._

 **Amy's point of view**

"You think I should try out for the Quidditch team?" she asked, incredulous. Draco had walked up to her in the common room, where she was sitting by the marble fireplace, finishing her Potions essay. He had whispered to her that his father had told him all about what had happened in the broom shop.

"So that's why he bought my broom." She had been wondering at the cold man's act of kindness.

"I'm trying out," Draco said importantly, "And you should, too. Father never exaggerates about talent. Believe me." And she did believe him. Not just because of the small amount of time she had spent with the man, but also because of the look on Draco's face when he finished the sentence. For a moment, he let his guard down and became vulnerable. In a flash, though, the shield went up again. Amy agreed to at least try out for the team.

She was early for try-outs so she sat on a bench and waited. She had finished her week's homework; an essay for Snape on the importance of beetle eyes as a primary ingredient in sleeping charms, mastering of a bubble charm for Flitwick, practising transfiguring a thimble into a sherry glass for McGonagall and a foot long essay on mandrakes and their magical properties for Sprout. And it was only Wednesday morning.

When everyone had arrived, the try-outs commenced. Amy was the only girl trying out for keeper. This didn't go unnoticed and she could hear the catcalls as she got onto her broom and rose into the air. As Slytherins in general are very competitive, the atmosphere was intense. There was no fooling around. Everyone meant business.

The same boys who had jeered at her and made rude comments, as she had risen into the air and flew over to the goal hoops, were now shouting insults and cursing as she caught the quaffle again and again. Marcus Flint, the captain, was especially vigorous in his attempts to score against her.

She felt invigorated. Powerful. She knew that Mr. Malfoy had bought Draco's way into the team with the brooms, and probably hers too, but he needn't have bothered. She watched as Draco got the snitch again and again.

She turned and looked into the stands to where some of the other Slytherins had sat to watch. They were all looking at the seeker try-outs, apart from one; Vincent Crabbe was staring at Amy with a look of pure hatred and jealousy. When she got back to the common room in her pyjamas after a long shower, she sat by the fire to let her hair dry, while reading ahead for transfiguration.

Draco came over and sat on the armchair closest to her. They sat in comfortable silence as she ran her fingers through her hair to get rid of tangles.

She wasn't aware of the fact that as she was engrossed in her text book he was watching the warm light of the fire set her dark red hair aglow. It made him feel peaceful to sit near her in such a peaceful moment.

The run in with Harry, Ron and Hermione a few days later was painful. Hermione had looked right at her when she had spoken about them buying their way in. she had felt proud of herself when she and Draco had been told they had made the team, even if it had something to do with the new brooms they all carried. At least Draco's father had gotten her onto the team because he had been impressed with her talent.

When Draco had called Hermione a mud blood, Amy couldn't help but react. Her sharp intake of breath and involuntary step forward had caught Harry's attention.

When Ron began to puke up slugs, she made to walk towards them in shock, not knowing what she was going to say or do, just reacting, but was stopped by Draco grabbing her arm. Harry was looking and his eyes narrowed as he took in what he saw. She wondered how he would interpret it and felt that she had messed up terribly.

Draco, while still sniggering at what had just happened, still didn't miss the opportunity to bring up her reaction once the rest of the team were walking a little further ahead as they headed onto the pitch.

"What was all that about?" He asked. "I thought you wanted nothing more to do with them?" she assured him that she didn't, making the excuse that she was reacting to Ron casting a spell their way and that she didn't particularly like the word he had spat at Hermione, letting a little annoyance seep into her tone.

She didn't think he believed her. He knew that she was more upset than she let on about severing ties with her former friends and he had immediately come to the conclusion that there must have been a bad argument from which she had come out the worse. But he was forced to let it go as practice began


	12. Chapter 12

**Chapter 12**

Amy was walking up a stair alone when she heard it; the voice in the wall. She began to follow the terrifying sound. Turning a corner, she realised she wasn't alone in her search; Harry, Ron and Hermione were not too far in front of her.

They could hear it, too, it seemed. Thank God she wasn't mad. That thought brought her back to the day at the zoo...She snapped out of it as the trio stopped ahead. Remaining unseen, she looked behind them and saw Mrs. Norris hanging, seemingly dead. A message was written in red on the wall.

Hearing Filch approach, she knew Harry would be blamed. She ran quietly, but quickly, to the Great Hall where dinner wasn't quite over and she made her way to the teachers table.

Filch's exclamations and lamentations were loud enough now for the remainder of the students in the Great Hall to hear. While everyone's attention was caught, she leaned over the table and whispered in the headmaster's ear;

"Harry didn't do it."

Quidditch season was fast approaching and Amy was becoming more and more nervous as the time for her first match came closer. Of course, it would have to be against Gryffindor.

Draco simply couldn't wait to play. He wasn't the only one. The whole team were excited. They practiced constantly and Flint was a slave-driver. Again and again, he made them play against each other. When they came in every night after practice, the team would be exhausted.

Amy hid her apprehension from her team mates. The last thing she needed was for those misogynistic fools to find out that the little red-head was scared. Her presence didn't stop the sessions of telling each other about their various conquests, nor did it put a stop to the endless stream of sexist jokes.

Needless to say, she made a point of waiting until she got to the castle to shower. This led to a lot of solitary walks from the pitch to the castle in near-darkness and Amy was certain on these occasions that she was being watched. More than once she had sworn she had seen a dark figure behind her. She would rush the rest of the way up to the castle, not daring to relax until she was safe in the common room.

The night before the match, Amy barely slept. Every small noise seemed to wake her; the creak of the stairs, someone turning in their bed, Pansy Parkinson's snores. Eventually, she gave up and got up.

In the common room, the fire was nearly out. She leaned on the mantle-piece and stared at the glowing embers. She had no idea how long she had been standing there when a voice suddenly brought her out of her reverie;

"Why are you up so early?" she gasped, startled and her leg twisted awkwardly as she spun around to see who had spoken. She would have fallen if the other person had not caught her in time. Fearfully, thinking the face she would see looking down at her would be that of the dark figure that haunted her steps, she gazed up slowly and let out a sigh of relief.

"Draco, thank Merlin. For a second there I thought…" she caught herself before continuing. It wouldn't do to let him know what she had been thinking. She hadn't told anybody about her fears, not knowing why. It was just one more secret she had been keeping. What if he thought she was unhinged? Perhaps she would tell Dumbledore when next she saw him. He wouldn't judge her, she knew.

Draco helped her right herself before letting her go. He had been looking at her without his usual defensiveness, his eyes a shimmering liquid silver that she much preferred to the hard grey steel they usually were as he stared into her emerald ones. As he took a step back after letting her go he looked a little flustered.

"Wait, who did you think I was?" the spell was broken as he uttered those words, his defences fully restored as she told him it didn't matter and tried to laugh off her clumsiness.

"Let's just hope I can stay on my broom later." She said, giving him a weak smile he didn't return.

"Yes…well I suppose we should get ready and then get some breakfast." He said, already turning to leave. She watched him go, wondering what she had done wrong. He was right. Time was ticking on though it was still early and she wanted to have a shower before heading down to the dining hall. She followed him through to the dorms, sparing a glance at his back as he strode down the boys corridor, his hands in fists by his sides.

 ** _Draco's point of view_**

 _The excitement of the upcoming match made him wake earlier than usual for a Saturday. It was still too early for breakfast, so he decided to go for a stroll, knowing he had no chance of falling back to sleep. When he reached the common room he became aware that he was not alone._

 _Amy was standing at the fireplace staring at the empty grate. The fire was long gone out. She had that sad faraway look on her face._

 _He spoke to her, breaking her concentration. She jumped, startled, and would have fallen only for he was there to catch her. For a moment, she looked scared but then her face cleared and she spoke. She was happy that it was him, though he had startled her._

 _He became lost in her exquisite green eyes. Their beauty was slightly marred by the sadness residing in them. There was also fear lying hidden just beneath the surface. It was a few moments before he realised that he was still holding her._

 _Then he remembered what she had said._

 _"Who did you think I was?"_

 _Her cheeks flushed as she lied to him. She was lying to him a lot lately. He wanted to call her out on it but something always stopped him, some instinct that told him to let it go._

 _He wasn't sure what it was about her that drew him to her, but thought it might have something to do with the fact that she didn't hang off him like the rest of his friends. She never agreed with him sycophantically or laughed at something he said unless it actually amused her. And the layer of steel that he knew hid behind her delicate porcelain features reminded him of his own._

 _They had both experienced loneliness and neglect in their own way; He at the hands of his father, who he so desperately wanted to impress, but who remained distant and cold. Sure he bought his son whatever he wanted. He gave his son everything but his time. She, he knew, had grown up in a muggle orphanage. He couldn't even imagine how unpleasant that must have been._

 _He wondered again what she was keeping from him that was frightening her so much. And though he dropped the subject yet again, he couldn't help but show his annoyance as he went back to his dorm and dressed for the upcoming match, all thoughts of a pleasant early morning stroll forgotten._

 **Amy's point of view**

Down in the Great Hall, the tables were buzzing with excitement. Amy couldn't eat anything. Her stomach was tied up in knots. Draco sat beside her as usual, but things were a little awkward and tense between them.

Flint got up and the team followed him. Going through the hall, Amy tried not to look at the Gryffindor table but the temptation was strong. The boo's echoed after the hated Slytherin team as they left.

It was a very dramatic game, by all accounts. Amy thought back over the goals she let in while anxiously watching Harry dodge the rogue bludger. Why did everything have to happen to him?

She snuck down to the hospital wing that night. She made her way over to where Harry lay, moaning in his sleep. Growing back the bones in your arm in one night was quite an ordeal, it seemed.

She looked down at his troubled face. His fringe stuck to his forehead with sweat, hiding the scar that had started it all. Why had their families been targeted? And on the same night too.

From what she had heard and seen of Voldemort, he didn't seem to be the kind to make many house calls. He must have had a reason beyond what Dumbledore had told her when they met the year before.

She heard a sharp crack and hid under Harry's bed as he shot up, wakened by the noise. She overheard the whispered conversation between Harry and the mysterious house elf. Just what did the creature mean? Who was its master?

Duelling club was a big joke. Lockheart was clearly a phoney (A good looking one, but one none the less) Then there was the incident with the snake. So she wasn't the only person at Hogwarts who could converse with snakes! This was a relief though to everyone else present it looked as though Harry were egging the snake on. Surely after that display, everyone in the school would be sure that Harry was the heir of Slytherin. She nearly laughed aloud at the thought.

Amy received a note the day after the incident at the duelling club. She was eating her breakfast when the owls flew in to deliver the post. She rarely received any unless she had ordered something so she was surprised to find that a handsome school owl landed beside her plate and held its foot out.

She recognized the spindly writing at once and took the letter from the owl, which flew away instantly. Beside her, Draco looked at her curiously.

"Aren't you going to open it?" he asked.

"I'll leave it until later," she said, "I'm starving." And she commenced wolfing down her cornflakes as fast as she could.

On the way out of the hall she opened the envelope. It read;

 _Dear Amy,_

 _Please meet me at my office during your afternoon Potions lesson. Professor Snape has been informed and has kindly excused you._

 _Albus Percival Wulfric Brian Dumbledore._

The thought of Snape excusing anyone wilfully from his class was hilarious. She knew he favoured the Slytherins, but not that much and there was the warning he had given her the year before about not expecting any preferential treatment. She had risen to the challenge she had given herself that day and had earned every good mark she had received from him since.

She was relieved that her Occlumency lessons were about to commence finally, though she feared it might be beyond her as the book the headmaster had sent her on her birthday had been terribly complicated and difficult to understand.


End file.
